A look at the real-world locations which inspired those in Tolkien's work, the main focus obviously being on Middle-Earth – where on one level it really shouldn't be surprising, but it still feels jarring that none of those New Zealand vistas which looked so right get a mention. I suspect that to the real hardcore fans who've read a full biography, let alone the mammoth History Of Middle Earth, a lot of this might be familiar material seen again from a slightly different angle - the idyllic Shire-like Sarehole of Tolkien's childhood, the Dead Marshes of the Somme, the walking tour in the Alps which inspired the Misty Mountains. Elsewhere, Garth moves further from consensus, for instance in suggesting that while Birmingham's industry and spread might have been transmuted into Mordor and Isengard, that doesn't preclude its craftsmen from also inspiring the toymakers of Dale. Along the way are little oddments of information which interest even beyond their relevance or otherwise to one 20th century writer: isn't it perfectly perverse that the man who brought the mass manufacture of automobiles to Oxford should have been another, entirely different William Morris? At times, as when rotating or expanding maps to see how closely one could map the Shire to the Britain it recalls and would become, or picking line by line through texual variants, the exercise can resemble the most entirely pointless recesses of theology – albeit obviously with oceans less blood on its hands, and directed at a considerably more deserving text. Besides, it does my vengeful heart good to see this kind of hardcore, footnoted scholarship being applied to a fantasy epic, when once the glossy mainstream publication of such a thing would have been considered the exclusive province of more 'literary' work. And it is, at least in so far as one can tell from a Netgalley ARC, a beautiful book. Part of the appeal was simply that, locked down as we all are, I wanted to be able to look at some gorgeous landscapes, and on that count it definitely delivers. Though even more than any of the sweeping views, I think the loveliest to see wasn't the grand mountains or castles, but the little glade where Edith Tolkien danced for JRR when he returned, damaged, from the War, and their transfiguration into Beren and Lúthien was sealed.

Couldn’t download this but it sounds amazing and I will put it on my books to buy list for sure. Looks fantastic!

This is an absolutely gorgeous book. Even though Quarto Publishing Group was kind enough to gift an ebook copy through NetGalley, I will definitely be purchasing this as a physical copy in the future. I just don’t think ebook does this book the justice it deserves.

So, this book is all about the places that inspired the fictional locations in Middle-Earth (the fantasy world of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings fame). Since the great success of the recent films, the locations of Hobbiton and Middle Earth have in recent years become synonymous with the landscapes of New Zealand. But this book explores the locations that actually inspired Tolkien himself.

As someone who has only partially read Tolkien’s works, and not a diehard Tolkien fan, this book was a pleasure as I got to learn more about Tolkien’s life from the very first chapter. If you are at all interested in the process of writing or understanding how authors draw from reality to create the fantastic, this will also be an extremely enlightening read. As for me, I found it absolutely fascinating seeing the inspiration behind what has, at this point, become an absolute legend in the fantasy genre.

All in all, this is the perfect coffee table book: gorgeous illustrations and photographs for when you just want to flick through at a glance, while also offering erudite yet extremely readable text to delve deeper into Tolkien’s expansive world. Many illustrations included in the book are by Tolkien himself and are breathtaking. We also get a glimpse into rare archival images - a real treat. This is amazing for both the overly-informed and the ignorant when it comes to Tolkien, I will definitely be returning to this book every now and then.

This is a beautifully written and informative piece of work about the places that inspired locations in Middle- Earth. With its gorgeous illustrations this is definitely a book for those who love Tolkien's work.

I liked the idea of "The Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien" and for a fan, this might be really interesting, but it didn't really manage to hold my interest even though I liked the novels,

This was a detailed informative book about J. R. R. Tolkien and his works. It included beautiful illustrations but also some historical information.

This was a beautiful and interesting look into the the Lord of the Rings, and any Tolkein fan would definitely love this.