Of Words and Worlds

by Wolf, Mark J. P.

• ISBN13: 9781581826425
• ISBN10: 1581826427
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-05-01
• Publisher: Cumberland House

Summary

With The Lord of the Rings books frequently topping lists of people?s favorites and his imaginary world becoming one of the most successful and influential franchises of all time, J. R. R. Tolkien remains a leading figure in popular culture and in academia. A devout Roman Catholic, he was a model for all Christians in the integration of faith into one?s work and life without compromise or apology and an inspiration for a large general audience that might not otherwise be interested in ?Christian literature.? Of Words and Worlds: The Imagination and Subcreation of J. R. R. Tolkien provides an introduction to Tolkien?s life, thought, and legacy that focuses specifically on how his imagination and his imaginary world (which he called his subcreation) relates to his life, works, and faith. In it Mark J. Wolf examines numerous themes in Tolkien?s work as well as the works themselves: The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, his shorter fiction, his drawings, and his scholarly writings. The last section of the book looks at Tolkien?s lasting legacy, including the fantasy genre that he revived almost single-handedly. Dozens of writers, designers, and filmmakers have been inspired by Tolkien, and his ideas concerning highly detailed and internally consistent imaginary worlds and their making are an inspiration to many.