Hobbit Journey, A: Discovering the Enchantment of J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth

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Discover the Enchantment of Tolkien's Middle-earth

"What are the costs of military victory? Is mercy sometimes too expensive? Can torture ever be justified? Are there any moral absolutes in a world of competing faiths and cultures? A Hobbit Journey traces these and many other issues through their surprisingly detailed presentation in Tolkien's fiction. If anyone should still doubt Tolkien's applicability and ...
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Hobbit Journey, A: Discovering the Enchantment of J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth

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More About This Book

Overview

Discover the Enchantment of Tolkien's Middle-earth

"What are the costs of military victory? Is mercy sometimes too expensive? Can torture ever be justified? Are there any moral absolutes in a world of competing faiths and cultures? A Hobbit Journey traces these and many other issues through their surprisingly detailed presentation in Tolkien's fiction. If anyone should still doubt Tolkien's applicability and relevance to the twenty-first century, this is the book to put in their hands."
--Thomas Shippey, author of J. R. R. Tolkien: Author of the Century

"J. R. R. Tolkien's stories are countries full of treasure that will go undiscovered and unappreciated unless we learn how to be attentive treasure hunters. Matthew Dickerson writes as one who has spent his summers in the Shire, hiked every trail in Mirkwood Forest, taken counsel from Gandalf, and argued with Gollum and Smaug. It's as though he sharpened the tools of his intellect in deep conversation with Tolkien himself. He will prove to be a thought-provoking guide through Middle-earth whether you're a frequent visitor there or a newcomer ready for the adventure of a lifetime."
--Jeffrey Overstreet, author of Auralia's Colors and Through a Screen Darkly

"A Hobbit Journey instantly engages readers with its combination of scholarly knowledge and love for J. R. R. Tolkien's work. Matthew Dickerson resists imposing his own rigid, limiting thesis and instead interprets the text by simply pointing out to fellow readers what is there. In doing so he illuminates the power of Tolkien's stories to challenge, delight, and transform us."
--Colin Duriez, author of Tolkien and C. S. Lewis: The Gift of Friendship and J. R. R. Tolkien: The Making of a Legend

"A Hobbit Journey is a grand accomplishment: a thoughtful exploration of the virtues and values that sustain the heartbeat of Tolkien's Middle-earth. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I expect that you will too."
--Diana Pavlac Glyer, author of The Company They Keep: C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien as Writers in Community
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Editorial Reviews

Library Journal
Expanding on his previous work, Following Gandalf: Epic Battles and Moral Victory in The Lord of the Rings, Dickerson (computer science & environmental studies, Middlebury Coll.) explores the philosophical and moral messages in Tolkien's writing. Citing The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and letters, essays, and other texts, Dickerson discusses Tolkien's ideas about morality, society, and justice as reflected in his writing about Middle-earth. The author identifies Tolkien's Christian inspiration as revealed in his fiction, from the ways prisoners are treated during war, to the values of peace and friendship among protagonists, as well as notions of free choice, absolute morality, moral responsibility, and more. Throughout, Dickerson uses numerous examples from Tolkien's works as well as references to Peter Jackson's movie adaptations and real-world parallels between torture in Middle-earth and water-boarding at Guantanamo Bay. VERDICT Dickerson's comparisons between Christian morals and the moral laws of Middle-earth are not entirely new, but he writes in a manner both scholarly and accessible that many Tolkien readers will like.—Jennifer Harris, Mercyhurst Coll. Lib., Erie, PA
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781587433009
  • Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
  • Publication date: 9/1/2012
  • Pages: 272
  • Sales rank: 309,931
  • Product dimensions: 5.90 (w) x 8.90 (h) x 0.90 (d)

Meet the Author

Matthew Dickerson (PhD, Cornell University) is a professor at Middlebury College in Vermont, a writer, and the director of the New England Young Writers' Conference at Bread Loaf. His previous works include From Homer to Harry Potter; The Mind and the Machine; Narnia and the Fields of Arbol: The Environmental Vision of C. S. Lewis; and Ents, Elves, and Eriador: The Environmental Vision of J. R .R. Tolkien.
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Table of Contents

Introduction
1. On Hobbits, the Treatment of Prisoners, and the Ethics of War
2. Epic Battles
3. Frodo and the Wisdom of the Wise
4. Military Victory or Moral Victory?
5. Human Freedom and Creativity
6. The Gift of Ilúvatar and the Power of the Ring
7. Moral Responsibility and Stewardship
8. The Seen and the Unseen: Salvation and Social Justice
9. A Shift in Tone: Free Will and the Hand of Ilúvatar
10. Ilúvatar's Theme and the Real War
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