From Athelas in English, 1994, copyright Imladris - Danmarks Tolkienforening
Reviews
J.R.R. Tolkien. Life and Legend (Oxford Bodleian Library, 1992, 96 pp. ISBN 1-85124-027-6, £14.95 paperback).
This souvenir book from Bodleian Library could be expected to be a dry and boring catalogue of the library's Tolkien exhibition in connection with the centenry year, but in fact it is an exciting meander though Tolkien's life and works. It is filled with small, well-formed drawings, photographs and notes from streching from Tolkien's childhood to his retirement, and as such it is a fascinating mosaic of glimpses of his world. The book is even more exciting as it contains hitherto unpublished drawings and letters, and new aspects of Tolkien's personality will be revealed, even for the most learnèd Tolkien fan; from his first letter in 1895 to his sketchbook from 1896, and a genuine rebus from 1904 to his first vivid watercolours! Certainly this is a breath of fresh air, and as far as I know there has never been such a comprehensive book with so few pages! The exhibition consisted of 250 items, from large book collections to small scraps of paper, which were brought together from all over the world. The book itself is a good read, which will fascinate new as well as old Tolkien enthusiasts. The exhibition finished at the end of the centenary year, and the book will be a precious memento for all those who saw the exhibition in Oxford in 1992, and would be just as interesting for those of us who didn't.
Lars-Terje Lysemose
Tolkien Bigger Than Elvis? "The Hobbits' Hobbit" (J.R.R.T. A Portrait of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, 1892-1973), DR TV Sunday 14 March 1993, 10.20 a.m.
I knew beforehand that Danmarks Radio TV had asked Lars-Terje Øland Lysemose for consultative support about the translation of J.R.R.T., and I greatly looked forward to see the bradcast. I was therefore unhappy that The Hobbits' Hobbit was broadcast on Sunday morning at a time when most church services are held. Tolkien deserved better, considering that his centenary last year went largely un-noticed in Denmark. In light of this the annoyance was greater; but at the same time it was tempered with pleasure, when the broadcast was shown to be a good and sober portrait of the master storyteller. It was an example of an artistic presentation which offered much to those who already know the artist well, and even more to those who experienced him for the first time.
A range of well-chosen people told of the "primary and secondary worlds" in Tolkien's life. Professor Tom Shippey, who in many ways in his own life treads Tolkien's paths, showed us the inevitable path from Woodhouse Lane in Leeds to Ghân-buri-Ghân and the Woses in The Lord of the Rings! H.M. Queen Margrethe II told of her own fascination with Tolkien with great enthusiasm, as though she was experiencing the Ring trilogy for the first time, and we saw the fine drawings which arose from her identification with the trilogy. Tolkien stood out as somewhat of an odd, dyed-in-the-wool anti-modernist. Quite naturally, many generations of stylish people will find The Lord of the Rings a significant source of renewal in their lives; for young and old, J.R.R. Tolkien is the 20th century's Hans Christian Andersen.
Verlyn Flieger of the University of Maryland suggests that Tolkien is bigger than Elvis as a cult phenomenon. The anchoring of this Englishman Tolkien firmly in the past can very well give him a great future. Let's look more closely at that when we celebrate Tolkien's 150th centenary.
Lars Physant
Tolkien's World: Paintings of Middle-earth. (HarperCollins Pub-lishers, London, 1992, 146 pp. ISBN 0-261-10276-1, £17.99 hardback).
J.R.R. Tolkien had himself illustrated The Hobbit, with some watercolours very typical of the time, when it was published by the London-based pub-lishing house George Allen & Unwin. Tolkien's World is a tribute to this marvellous artist from the imaginations of nine fascinated artists, for whom Tolkien is someone very special. His works have been, and still are, a great inspiration to artists all over the world, which is amply demonstrated by this treasure of a book. Illustrated though-out in colour, with quotes from Tolkien's works, this book is a priceless addition to one's own perception of Tolkien's world. From the Canadian Ted Nasmith, whose photograph-like realistic pictures (with a touch of adventure and drama) lead us to John Howe's grandiose contrasting colours, to the Swedish Inger Edelfeldt's clear-cut Scandinavian clarity, which gives hint of the deep forests and wide open spaces and hills of the North. From Alan Lee's evocative pictures detailed yet wrapped in a mysterious aura, through Carol Emery Phenix, Roger Garland, Tony Galuidi and Michael Hague to Robert Goldsmith's amazing use of colour gentle yet effective! This book is a precious gift, and I think that Tolkien would have been touched by the overwhelming enthusiasm of which is it an expression. Every Tolkien-lover should own one!
Lars-Terje Lysemose