J. R. R. Tolkien was best known to most readers as the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. These books are regarded, stated Augustus M. Kolich in the Dictionary of Literary Biography, as "the most important fantasy stories of the modern period." From 1914 until his death in 1973, Tolkien drew on his familiarity with Northern European and other ancient literatures and his own invented languages to create not just his own story, but his own world: Middle-earth, a world complete with its own history, myths, legends, epics and heroes--"an imagined world," said Kolich, "that includes a vast gallery of strange beings: hobbits, elves, dwarfs, orcs, and, finally, the men of Westernesse." His works--especially The Lord of the Rings- -have pleased countless readers and fascinated critics who recognize their literary depth.

However, Tolkien held another reputation not as well known to readers of his...