the hobbit | Cafe Book Bean

To continue honoring the magnificent J.R.R. Tolkien, I have decided to do a wishlist. If you keep up with my blog you know that I love The Hobbit, as well as The Lord Of The Rings. I am ashamed to say that my Tolkien repertoire does not extend beyond those. So, I have compiled a list of works by J.R.R. Tolkien that I most want to experience.

Without further adieu, here is my Tolkien Wishlist

(Click any picture or title for more info.)
“The Silmarillion”
This is a compilation of 6 stories. One of these 6 is Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age. That story tells of Sauron, whom we know about from The Hobbit and TLOTR. From what I can tell there are other related stories as well. This book seems to be history based (of the elves and what not.) I have gathered that it is a difficult read, and that only serious Tolkien fans usually attempt, complete, and/or like it. I say, challenge accepted. 🙂
Rated 4.5 on amazon.com

“Tales from the Perilous Realm“
This is a fully illustrated book that combines 5 of Tolkien’s works. The stories; Farmer Giles of Ham, Leaf by Niggle, Smith of Wootton Major, and Roverandom, as well as the poem The Adventures of Tom Bombadil. I am really looking forward to this one.
Rated 4.4 on amazon.com

“The Book of Lost Tales“
This is the first in 12 volumes. These books from what I gather are mainly for filling in the blanks, and fact finding. It is a history of Middle-Earth and Valinor. At first I thought these books were compiled writings of J.R.R. Tolkien that his son Christopher had gathered together and published. This may or may not be the case, but it looks more like Christopher just edited it. Either way it’s something I want to read to further my understanding of this great author and the wonderful world he created.
Rated 4.3 on amazon.com

“Unfinished Tales”
This book is more clear, it is definitely material written by J.R.R. Tolkien but compiled by Christopher Tolkien. J.R.R. Tolkien’s archives unveiled untold stories of the three ages of ancient Middle-earth. We can thank is son for bringing it all to light, for our enjoyment.
Rated 4.6 on amazon.com

“Bilbo’s Last Song“
This is a song/poem that Bilbo writes while he takes is final journey to the undying lands. He writes this as a farewell to Middle-Earth and his friends and family. It is also illustrated by Pauline Baynes, which I look forward to seeing.
Rated 4.0 on amazon.com

“The Children of Hurin“
More Elves, dragons, Dwarves, Eagles, and yes Orcs. This is also a work that Christopher Tolkien compiled. It was not a stand alone text until he brought it all together and tirelessly edited it. Many years were spent bringing all of Tolkien’s unpublished works into form, and I am grateful for it.
Rated 4.3 on amazon.com

To suit any of these books, I imagine myself in the shire, sitting
by a fire sipping a hot robust drink.

Book Bean: Buttered Rum Latte
Steamed whole milk, 1-2 tbls of pre-mixed buttered-rum (butter, brown sugar, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, rum/rum flavor), espresso (or black tea.)

If I have fumbled over some facts, please correct me. Since I do not own these books, and only hope to one day, I don’t know a whole lot about them. Some of these books (based on what I know of them,) may even contain repeat content. I could be terribly wrong in my information. All I know is that they all look very interesting, and being a Tolkien fan I would love to have the opportunity to flip through them and learn more.

Which of these have you read?

Please share your thoughts.

“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all who wander are lost.”

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on January 3rd in 1892 (Happy Birthday!) He was a writer, poet, and philologist from England. He was also a college professor, and the genius author who wrote the classic fantasy books; The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion (and many others.) I have not read The Silmarillion yet, but the others are among my favorites (both in book and film.)

Here are quotes from some of the his most beloved works:
(Click Pictures and Titles for more info.)

“The Hobbit“
“Where there’s life there’s hope.”
“It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.”

“The Fellowship of The Ring“
“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

“The Two Towers“
“There is some good in this world,
and it’s worth fighting for.”

“The Return of The King”
“What do you fear, lady?” [Aragorn] asked.

“A cage,” [Éowyn] said. “To stay behind bars,
until use and old age accept them, and all chance
of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.”

“The Silmarillion“
“All have their worth and each
contributes to the worth of the others.”

Book Bean: Hot Mulled Cider
Nothing says Shire or Middle Earth to me like a steamy
cup of spiced apple goodness.

I am a proud fan of Tolkien, I think he was absolutely brilliant. The worlds, characters, and stories he created were intricately deep and beautiful. Thank you J.R.R. Tolkien, for sharing your fantastic and wondrous imagination.

What is your favorite Tolkien work?

Fun Fact: If you didn’t already love Tolkien enough, know he was a lovely romantic.
At age 16, Tolkien fell in love with Edith Bratt, three years his senior. His guardian, a Catholic priest, was horrified that his ward was seeing a Protestant and ordered the boy to have no contact with Edith until he turned 21. Tolkien obeyed, pining after Edith for years until that fateful birthday, when he met with her under a railroad viaduct. She broke off her engagement to another man, converted to Catholicism, and the two were married for the rest of their lives. At Tolkien’s instructions, their shared gravestone has the names “Beren” and “Luthien” engraved on it, a reference to a famous pair of star-crossed lovers from the fictional world he created. Via mental floss