The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien

‘Many are the strange chances of the world,’ said Mithrander, ‘ and help oft shall come from the hands of the weak when the Wise falter.’

 

The Silmarillion is a collection of myths telling the history of Middle Earth from creation through the events of the Third Age or the events described in detail in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

 

It consists of five parts:

• “Ainulindalë” – Creation of Eä (the world) by Ilúvatar
• “Valaquenta” – Tale of Valar and Maiar, subordinate deities
• “Quenta Silmarillion” – The first age of Middle Earth (primarily tale of the elves)
• “Arkallabeth” – The Second Age, the rise and fall of Numenor (highest race of mortal men)
• “Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age”

 

It was published posthumously and extensively edited by Christopher Tolkien and Guy Gavriel Kay.

 

This was my third re-read. I first read it in 1977, the year it was published. I’d read The Lord of the Rings in 1971 and was thrilled to have something new by my favorite author. I was a bit disappointed at the time. It wasn’t nearly as fun. It is more of a history book. Still, it was more Middle Earth, and I was happy to read it. I still have my first American Edition (pictured above).

 

I read it to refresh my memory and check the accuracy of the recent television series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. I found the television series entertaining in its own right, but it IS NOT true to The Silmarillion.

 

It was better on this re-read. It is filled with back story for Aragorn, Elrond, Galadriel, Sauron, and the Nazgul; new heroes Turin and Tuor; the three elven fathers Olwë, Elwë, Finwë; the tragic line of Fëanor son of Finwë; and as seems fitting, very little of Hobbits.

 

A MUST-READ for Tolkien fans!

 

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The Life of Our Lord by Charles Dickens

The Life of Our Lord by Charles Dickens is his retelling of the story of Jesus Christ, gleaned from the Gospels. It was written exclusively for his children.

 

According to the introduction in my version, Dickens forbade publication of the text and begged his sister-in-law to make sure the family “would never even hand the manuscript, or a copy of it, to anyone to take out of the house.”

 

The family continued to read it every Christmas and delayed publication until the last of Dickens’ children had passed away.

 

If he didn’t want it published, I presume he wouldn’t want it reviewed. Out of respect for his wishes, then, I offer no commentary.

 

This is just a check-mark. I read it.

 

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…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me. ~ Jesus Christ (John 14:6)