Tag Archives: J. R. R. Tolkien

J.R.R. reads The Hobbit

Posted on September 10, 2017 by Brian D. Butler

In 1952, J.R.R. Tolkien stopped by to visit a friend and to pick-up a manuscript. While he was there, the friend persuaded the author to record a bit of his novel The Hobbit. The 30-minute recording session wasn’t filmed, but … Continue reading →

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Back to Middle Earth

Posted on May 7, 2016 by Brian D. Butler

Last year, I posted on the surprise discovery of a previously unknown annotated map of Middle Earth that J.R.R. Tolkien had created while working on the 1970 reissue edition of The Lord of the Rings (Allen & Unwin). The map … Continue reading →

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Silmarillion with an accent

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Brian D. Butler

I was searching for an illustrated copy of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Silmarillion for a client when I stumbled across this Russian language version with exceptional black and white drawings by artist Denis Gordeev. I don’t know anything about him, but he … Continue reading →

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Reading By The Numbers

Posted on January 28, 2016 by Brian D. Butler
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Another Reason To Check Your Old Books

Posted on October 27, 2015 by Brian D. Butler

I have discovered all manner of ephemera in old books—everything from 19th century hotel bills to bawdy letters—but nothing as special as a rare map of Middle Earth. Blackwell’s Rare Books in Oxford, UK, where J.R.R. Tolkien once taught, has … Continue reading →

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Which Way To Mordor

Posted on February 8, 2015 by Brian D. Butler
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Middle Earth (travel to)

Posted on November 26, 2013 by Brian D. Butler
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Middle Earth (more of)

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

With “The Hobbit: The desolation of Smaug” hitting theaters everywhere on December 13, 2013, and another Middle Earth media blitz, Google has released “Journey Through Middle-earth, A Chrome Experiment“. This interactive application provides a first person perspective for a trip … Continue reading →

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Better Know Middle Earth

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Brian D. Butler

I’ve been a huge fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books since I discovered the world of Middle Earth at about twelve. So, I’m always tickled to find ways in which obsessed readers help others grasp the complexity of the stories. Emil … Continue reading →

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I Want To Go To There

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Brian D. Butler

Just in time for the release of the first edition of the Hobbit trilogy, Tolkien nerds can now lift a pint of Gaffer’s Ale at the very same tables as Gamgees, Tooks, Brandybucks and Bagginses. The Green Dragon Pub in … Continue reading →

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