More new Tolkien books I've discovered!

Just what my poor budget needed - New Tolkien books (or at least new-to-me) to dream about buying. Yes, I've found a couple more books I'd love to add to my collection. First off is the newer of the two books:

I hadn't known that Verlyn Flieger was publishing another collection of her essays on Tolkien last month, but what a nice surprise!

There Would Always Be A Fairy Tale: More Essays On Tolkien
Verlyn Flieger
Kent State University Press
Copyright Date: December 2017
978-1606353080

The amazon.com product description:

Devoted to Tolkien, the teller of tales and co-creator of the myths they brush against, these essays focus on his lifelong interest in and engagement with fairy stories, the special world that he called faërie, a world they both create and inhabit, and with the elements that make that world the special place it is. They cover a range of subjects, from The Hobbit to The Lord of the Rings and their place within the legendarium he called the Silmarillion to shorter works like “The Story of Kullervo” and “Smith of Wootton Major.”
From the pen of eminent Tolkien scholar Verlyn Flieger, the individual essays in this collection were written over a span of twenty years, each written to fit the parameters of a conference, an anthology, or both. They are revised slightly from their original versions to eliminate repetition and bring them up to date. Grouped loosely by theme, they present an unpatterned mosaic, depicting topics from myth to truth, from social manners to moral behavior, from textual history to the micro particles of Middle-earth.
Together these essays present a complete picture of a man as complicated as the books that bear his name―an independent and unorthodox thinker who was both a believer and a doubter able to maintain conflicting ideas in tension, a teller of tales both romantic and bitter, hopeful and pessimistic, in equal parts tragic and comedic. A man whose work does not seek for right or wrong answers so much as a way to accommodate both; a man of antitheses.
Scholars of fantasy literature generally and of Tolkien particularly will find much of value in this insightful collection by a seasoned explorer of Tolkien’s world of faërie.

Verlyn Flieger has been a noted name in Tolkien scholarship for quite a few years now, having edited a number of editions of Tolkien's shorter works including On Fairy Stories, Smith of Wootton Major and The Story of Kullervo, as well as publishing quite a selection of books on Tolkien and his writings, including Splintered Light, Green Suns and Faerie, and Interrupted Music, most of which I have to admit I have yet to read (although all of the books listed here are in my collection).

The other book is the expensive one - but one I'd love to have nonetheless:

A Companion to J.R.R. Tolkien
Ed. Stuart D. Lee
Copyright: 2014
978-0470659823

The amazon.com product description:

This is a complete resource for scholars and students of Tolkien, as well as avid fans, with coverage of his life, work, dominant themes, influences, and the critical reaction to his writing.

• An in-depth examination of Tolkien’s entire work by a cadre of top scholars

• Provides up-to-date discussion and analysis of Tolkien’s scholarly and literary works, including his latest posthumous book, The Fall of Arthur, as well as addressing contemporary adaptations, including the new Hobbit films

• Investigates various themes across his body of work, such as mythmaking, medieval languages, nature, war, religion, and the defeat of evil

• Discusses the impact of his work on art, film, music, gaming, and subsequent generations of fantasy writers

Looking through the table of contents on this one is like going through a "who's who" of Tolkien scholarship. There are chapters by John Garth, Tom Shippey, John Rateliff, Verlyn Flieger, Mark Atherton, and Dimitra Fimi among many others.

I think I'm going to class this one as "expensive, but worth the cost - eventually".

New and new to me books.

I've had the pleasure over recent weeks to get back into book-buying, and as a result I've discovered an interesting selection of upcoming books, newly released books and books that are just plain new to me. Some of these I have in my hands, some are books I've seen but not yet bought, and some are books that have yet to be released. All of them look interesting.

I'm going to start with one I now own and am looking forward to reading (once I finish my current non-fiction read - Material Culture of the Anglo Saxon World):

Women, Crusading and the Holy Land in Historical Narrative
Natasha R. Hodgson
Boydell Press
Release date: 2007
978-1783272709

The amazon.com blurb:

Narratives of crusading have often been overlooked as a source for the history of women because of their focus on martial events, and perceptions about women inhibiting the recruitment and progress of crusading armies. Yet women consistently appeared in the histories of crusade and settlement, performing a variety of roles. While some were vilified as "useless mouths" or prostitutes, others undertook menial tasks for the army, went on crusade with retinues of their own knights, and rose to political prominence in the Levant and and the West. This book compares perceptions of women from a wide range of historical narratives including those eyewitness accounts, lay histories and monastic chronicles that pertained to major crusade expeditions and the settler society in the Holy Land. It addresses how authors used events involving women and stereotypes based on gender, family role, and social status in writing their histories: how they blended historia and fabula, speculated on women's motivations, and occasionally granted them a literary voice in order to connect with their audience, impart moral advice, and justify the crusade ideal.

I have a fascination with medieval history, but a particular interest in women's and everyday people's roles in that world - how everyday life is shaped and in daily living. I'm sincerely hoping that this book will cover some of those interests. Based on the description, it should. As I said earlier, I'm really looking forward to this read - but I refuse to abandon the book I'm currently reading to start this one.

The next book on my list is another one that I haven't started reading yet: the newest Mercedes Lackey anthology that came out last week. To be honest, I have yet to finish last year's offering (Tempest: All New Tales of Valdemar).

Pathways: All New Tales of Valdemar
Ed. Mercedes Lackey
DAW Books
Copyright: December 5, 2017
978-0756409043

The amazon.com product description:

The eleventh anthology of short stories set in Mercedes Lackey's beloved Valdemar universe features stories by debut and established authors and a brand-new story from Lackey herself

The Heralds of Valdemar are the kingdom’s ancient order of protectors. They are drawn from all across the land, from all walks of life, and at all ages—and all are Gifted with abilities beyond those of normal men and women. They are Mindspeakers, FarSeers, Empaths, ForeSeers, Firestarters, FarSpeakers, and more. These inborn talents—combined with training as emissaries, spies, judges, diplomats, scouts, counselors, warriors, and more—make them indispensable to their monarch and realm. Sought and Chosen by mysterious horse-like Companions, they are bonded for life to these telepathic, enigmatic creatures. The Heralds of Valdemar and their Companions ride circuit throughout the kingdom, protecting the peace and, when necessary, defending their land and monarch.

Now, twenty-three authors ride with Mercedes Lackey to her magical land of Valdemar, adding their own unique voices to the Heralds, Bards, Healers, and other heroes of this beloved fantasy realm.

Join Janny Wurts, Elisabeth Waters, Michele Lang, Fiona Patton, and others in twenty-four original stories, including a brand-new novella by Mercedes Lackey, all set in Valdemar, where:

A young woman without any of the Heralds’ Gifts must see a Companion safely delivered to Haven....

A Herald must revisit the mysteries of his childhood to save his own young family and combat a threat at the very heart of Valdemar....

A Hawkbrother flees for his life, trailed by a mysterious bird that prophesizes a dire future....

A mage must choose whether to steal a priceless artifact and be branded a thief and traitor, or let his country fall to magic that could prove far more deadly....

It's hard to believe that this is the eleventh book in this series! It is, though, and from what I've seen online, the book does contain some of the recurring characters that have become a staple of previous anthologies. I have to admit though that I'm not sure which ones they are at this point. I need to finish reading the previous anthology first.

The new season of The Crown came out last week, and I've discovered that there is a companion book to go with the first season now - and possibly the second as well. This is a book that I'd like to get my hands on sooner or later.

The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume 1: Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, and the Making of a Young Queen (1947-1955)
Robert Lacey
Crown Archetype
Copyright Date: October 2017
978-1524762285

The amazon.com product description:

The official companion to the Emmy-winning Netflix drama chronicling the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, and starring Claire Foy and John Lithgow, The Crown by Peter Morgan, featuring additional historical background and beautifully reproduced archival photos and show stills

Elizabeth Mountbatten never expected her father to die so suddenly, so young, leaving her with a throne to fill and a global institution to govern. Crowned at twenty-five, she was already a wife and mother as she began her journey towards becoming a queen.

As Britain lifted itself out of the shadow of war, the new monarch faced her own challenges. Her mother doubted her marriage; her uncle-in-exile derided her abilities; her husband resented the sacrifice of his career and family name; and her rebellious sister embarked on a love affair that threatened the centuries-old links between the Church and the Crown. This is the story of how Elizabeth II drew on every ounce of resolve to ensure that the Crown always came out on top.

Written by the show’s historical consultant, royal biographer Robert Lacey, and filled with beautifully reproduced archival photos and show stills, The Crown: The Official Companion: Volume 1 adds expert and in-depth detail to the events of the series, painting an intimate portrait of life inside Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street. Here is Elizabeth II as we’ve never seen her before.

The description certainly makes this look like an intriguing book - with a mix of archival materials and materials from the show/sets.

And now back to medieval history, with another book on the Crusades to add to my collection. Christopher Tyerman has a good reputation as a historian and I own other books of his - though to my shame, I've only read one of them to date, even though I've owned the other for at least a decade now. This one I've ordered, but it has yet to arrive - expected in January.

How to Plan a Crusade: Religious War in the High Middle Ages
Christopher Tyerman
Pegasus Books
Copyright: October 2017
978-1681775241

The amazon.com product description:

A spirited and sweeping account of how the crusades really worked―and a revolutionary attempt to rethink how we understand the Middle Ages.
The story of the wars and conquests initiated by the First Crusade and its successors is itself so compelling that most accounts move quickly from describing the Pope's calls to arms to the battlefield. In this highly original and enjoyable new book, Christopher Tyerman focuses on something obvious but overlooked: the massive, all-encompassing and hugely costly business of actually preparing a crusade. The efforts of many thousands of men and women, who left their lands and families in Western Europe, and marched off to a highly uncertain future in the Holy Land and elsewhere have never been sufficiently understood. Their actions raise a host of compelling questions about the nature of medieval society.

How to Plan a Crusade is remarkably illuminating on the diplomacy, communications, propaganda, use of mass media, medical care, equipment, voyages, money, weapons, wills, ransoms, animals, and the power of prayer during this dynamic era. It brings to life an extraordinary period of history in a new and surprising way. 16 pages of color illustrations.

Another one I'm looking forward to reading. I think though, that I've been acquiring books faster than I can read them - and I've been doing this for years now.

And, another book on order that I'm waiting for. It's supposed to arrive any day now though. Dimitra Fimi's Tolkien, Race and Cultural History: From Fairies to Hobbits. Dimitra Fimi is the author/editor of the hardcover edition of A Secret Vice, and also wrote two chapters in the Routledge Companion to Imaginary Worlds (which is where I was first exposed to her works).

Tolkien, Race and Cultural History: From Fairies to Hobbits
Dimitra Fimi
Palgrave Macmillan
Copyright date: 2008
978-0230272842

The amazon.com product description:

Fimi explores the evolution of Tolkien's mythology throughout his lifetime by examining how it changed as a result of his life story and contemporary cultural and intellectual history. This new approach and scope brings to light neglected aspects of Tolkien's imaginative vision and contextualises his fiction.

I'm looking forward to this read too - but when I'll get to it... I've got quite a few unread books on Tolkien in my collection already.

Here's a Tolkien book I really want to get my hands on:

Tolkien: Maker of Middle-Earth
Catherine McIlwaine
Bodleian Library
Release Date: July 2018
978-1851244850

The amazon.com product description:

He was an expert in medieval literature and Norse folklore, with a deep reverence for the power of myth. An accomplished translator, linguist, and philologist, who invented multiple languages of his own. A whimsical illustrator and a skillful storyteller. The father of modern fantasy literature, J. R. R. Tolkien was a master of world-building and a complex and brilliant figure.
            Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth explores the huge creative endeavor behind Tolkien’s enduring popularity. Lavishly illustrated with more than 300 images of his manuscripts, drawings, maps, and letters, the book traces the creative process behind his most famous literary works—The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion—and reproduces personal photographs and private papers, many of which have never been seen before in print.
            Six essays cover the main themes in Tolkien’s life and work, including the influence of northern languages and legends on the creation of his own legendarium; his concept of “Faërie” as an enchanted literary realm; the central importance of his invented languages in his fantasy writing; his visual imagination and its emergence in his artwork; and the encouragement he derived from his close friend C. S. Lewis and their literary group the Inklings.
            This volume assembles a wealth of original Tolkien material, shedding light on the extraordinary genius and imagination that brought us Middle-earth with all its Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Ringwraiths, Wizards, and, of course, Hobbits. Drawing on the archives of the Tolkien collections at the Bodleian Library and Marquette University, as well as private collections, this exquisitely produced catalog draws together the worlds of J. R .R. Tolkien—scholarly, literary, creative, and domestic—offering a rich and detailed history of this legendary author.

The author/editor of this book is the Tolkien archivist at the Bodleian Library in Oxford. What's of more interest - especially if you live in the United Kingdom - is that the Bodleian Library is holding an exhibition next year on Tolkien which this book is intended to showcase. I only wish I could attend.