Tree and Leaf: Including Leaf by Niggle J. R. R. Tolkien 9780008761899

A new edition of Tolkien's Tree and Leaf, complete with his rare translation and commentary of The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth, the Battle of Maldon.

Fairy-stories are not just for children, as anyone who has read Tolkien will know. In his essay On Fairy-Stories, Tolkien discusses the nature of fairy-tales and fantasy and rescues the genre from those who would relegate it to juvenilia. The haunting short story, Leaf by Niggle, recounts the story of the artist, Niggle, who has 'a long journey to make' and is seen as an allegory of Tolkien's life.

The poem Mythopoeia relates an argument between two unforgettable characters as they discuss the making of myths. Lastly, we are treated to the translation of Tolkien's account of the Battle of Maldon, known as The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth.

Tree and Leaf is an eclectic, amusing, provocative and entertaining collection of works which reveals the diversity of J.R.R. Tolkien's imagination, the depth of his knowledge of English history, and the breadth of his talent as a creator of fantastic fiction.

J R R Tolkien (1892-1973) was a distinguished academic, though he is best known for writing The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, plus other stories and essays. His books have been translated into over 30 languages and have sold many millions of copies world wide.

'A haunting and successful demonstration of the qualities of faerie'
New York Times

'The book must be read... it goes far to explain the nature of his art and justify his success'
The Cambridge Review

'While springing from deep-rooted convictions, his art has imaginative magic of a very rare quality'
Birmingham Post