Middle-earth Envisioned: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings: On Screen, On Stage, and Beyond - Hardcover

Robb, Brian J.; Simpson, Paul

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1937994279 ISBN 13: 9781937994273

Publisher: Race Point Publishing, 2013

Synopsis

The painstakingly crafted world that J.R.R. Tolkien created for The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion is so vivid that it’s easy to briefly imagine Middle-earth as a real place—even Tolkien himself had said it existed somewhere on Earth. From the languages spoken and the creatures that peopled it to the wars and cosmology, the richly imagined Middle-earth has left many artists and fans worldwide imagining what it would look and feel like to inhabit such a wildly inspired world. Tolkien left out no details in his picture so it is no surprise that Middle-earth has inspired such inventiveness in turn. Middle-earth Envisioned is the first book to explore the artistic legacy left by Tolkien’s world. Paintings, drawings, theatrical performances, radio serials, and films inspired by The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are all discussed in a manner that further illuminates the brilliance of Tolkien’s creation. Readers will discover details surrounding an attempted Beatles live-action version (with Paul McCartney as Frodo Baggins), a nearly four-hour Canadian musical, the West End stage production of Lord of the Rings, and of course, the Peter Jackson films—including the Hobbit trilogy—and much more. In this beautifully illustrated gift book, discover the richness of Middle-earth anew, through the works of the artists inspired by it. From NYT bestselling author Brian J. Robb and Paul Simpson, TV guide writer/reporter and the former editor of the Star Trek magazine.

About this title

About the Author:

Paul Simpson has written official guides to the TV series Farscape and Smallville and the movies The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, as well as unofficial books on subjects as diverse as James Bond, Nicole Kidman, and the TV series The O.C. He wrote an unofficial guide to CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. A regular visitor to film and TV sets, he has reported for many newspapers and magazines, including TV Guide. For five years, he was the editor of the official licensed Star Trek Magazine. He wrote That's What They Want You to Think for Zenith Press and co-authored Middle-earth Envisioned for Race Point Publishing.

Brian J. Robb is a New York Times/Sunday Times best-selling author. Among his works are Timeless Adventures: How Doctor Who Conquered TV, a critical and cultural history of the TV series (Kamera, 2009), A Brief History of Star Trek (forthcoming, Constable & Robinson, 2012) and A Brief History of Star Wars (forthcoming, Constable & Robinson, 2012). He has also written Silent Cinema (Kamera, 2007), Counterfeit Worlds: Philip K. Dick on Film (Titan, 2005), and Screams and Nightmares: The Films of Wes Craven (Titan, 1998). He is the biographer of River Phoenix (Plexus, 1994), Heath Ledger (Plexus, 2008), Brad Pitt (Plexus, 2001), Johnny Depp (Plexus, 2006) and Keanu Reeves (Plexus, 2003), among others. He's also written books on Laurel and Hardy (Pocket Essentials, 2008), Ridley Scott (Pocket Essentials, 2005) and James Cameron (Pocket Essentials, 2002).Paul Simpson has written official guides to the TV series Farscape and Smallville and the movies The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, as well as unofficial books on subjects as diverse as James Bond, Nicole Kidman, and the TV series The O.C.

Review:

“If you’re looking for a holiday gift for the nerd who has everything, Middle-Earth Envisioned should be on your shopping list. It’s a lovely looking book filled with enough trivia and gorgeous artwork to fill the kingdom of Erebor”.” – HeGeekSheGeek.com

“Middle-earth Envisioned is a must-have for Tolkien fans. Featuring adaptations of his works around the world, from radio and television, to comics, board games, video games, Legos, and more – this is a book that truly covers all things Middle-earth.” - Gamesfiends.com

â??a stunning analysis of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Ringsâ?¿ Whether youâ??re a Tolkienite or simply a casual fan, there is genuinely something for everyone here.â??

â??succeedsâ?¿ as a vehicle for glossy reproductions of art, including some 1968 illustrations by Mary Fairburn that Tolkien himself admired, once thought lostâ??

'succeeds in condensing down a massive body of work into an informative read, accompanied with some rare illustrations.'

â??positively seething with pictures that Tolkien fans will take great pleasure in pouring overâ?¿ an exhaustive illustrated history of all those who have attempted to bring Tolkien's writing to life.â??

About this edition

• Publisher: Race Point Publishing
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1937994279
• ISBN 13: 9781937994273
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 224