The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • just like what it sounds like
  • Letters give great insight
  • A must read for fans of Tolkien
  • very good book of letters from the man who must have wrote letters for a living,just wish it had a little more middle-earth init
  • The genius as a man
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien , and Humphrey Carpenter
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0618056998

Amazon.com

Scholars and fans of the great mythologist will find a rich vein of information in Humphrey Carpenter's The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien was a prodigious letter writer all his life; the sheer mass of his correspondence would give pause to even the most stalwart archivist (one shudders to think what he would have done with e-mail). But with the able assistance of Tolkien's son Christopher and a healthy dose of determination, Carpenter manages find the cream of the crop--the letters that shed light on Tolkien's thoughts about his academic and literary work, as well as those that show his more private side, revealing a loving husband, a playful friend, and a doting father. The most fascinating letters are, of course, those in which he discusses Middle-Earth, and Carpenter offers plenty of those to choose from. Tolkien discussed the minutia of his legend--sometimes at great length--with friends, publishers, and even fans who wrote to him with questions. These letters offer significant insights into how he went about creating the peoples and languages of Middle-Earth.

I have long ceased to invent (though even patronizing or sneering critics on the side praise my 'inventions'): I wait till I seem to know what really happened. Or till it writes itself. Thus, though I knew for years that Frodo would run into a tree-adventure somewhere far down the Great River, I had no recollection of inventing Ents. I came at last to the point, and wrote the 'Treebeard' chapter without any recollection of any previous thought: just as it is now. And then I saw that, of course, it had not happened to Frodo at all.

This new edition of letters has an extensive index, and Carpenter has included a brief blurb at the beginning of each letter to explain who the correspondent was and what was being discussed. Still, we strongly recommend buying the companion volume, J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography, in order to better understand the place these correspondents had in Tolkien's life and get a better context for the letters. --Perry M. Atterberry

Book Description

'...If you wanted to go on from the end of The Hobbit I think the ring would be your inevitable choice as the link. If then you wanted a large tale, the Ring would at once acquire a capital letter; and the Dark Lord would immediately appear. As he did, unasked, on the hearth at Bag End as soon as I came to that point. So the essential Quest started at once. But I met a lot of things along the way that astonished me. Tom Bombadil I knew already; but I had never been to Bree. Strider sitting in the corner of the inn was a shock, and I had no more idea who he was than Frodo did. The Mines of Moria had been a mere name; and of Lothlorien no word had reached my mortal ears till I came there.' -- J.R.R. Tolkien to W.H. Auden, June 7, 1955

J.R.R. Tolkien, cherished author of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion, was one of the twentieth century's most prolific letter writers. Over the years he wrote a mass of letters -- to his publishers, his family, to friends, and to fans of his books -- which record the history and composition of his works and his reaction to subsequent events.

By turns thoughtful, impish, scholarly, impassioned, playful, vigorous, and gentle, Tolkien poured his heart and mind into a great stream of correspondence to intimate friends and unknown admirers all over the world. From this collection one sees a mind of immense complexity and many layers -- artistic, religious, charmingly eccentric, sentimental, and ultimately brilliant.

Now newly expanded with a detailed index, this collection provides an invaluable record that sheds much light on Tolkien's creative genius, his thoughts and feelings about his own work, and the evolution of his grand design for the creation of a whole new world -- Middle-earth.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars just like what it sounds like.......2007-06-14

its a book of random letters that jrr tolkien wrote to people. nuff said

5 out of 5 stars Letters give great insight.......2007-03-17

Tolkien was one of the most prolific letter writers of the 20th century. He passed away before the advent of email, so correspondences back and forth were his way to communicate with his family, friends, publishers, and fans. In Letters we get rare glimpses of Tolkien's direct thoughts and opinions on his works, and another chance to see the evolution of his world and stories as he wrote to others throughout his life. Any fan who boasts having the History of Middle-earth series under their belt should pick this one up... Superb information and descriptions that weren't among the pages of the HoMe are to be found here.

Amongst these gems is a review of the synopsis for the first LotR animated movie ever slated for release. Tolkien enumerates the countless glaring mistakes and shows us why this version never came to be, simultaneously giving both fans and cynics a new and better appreciation of Peter Jackson's film interpretation(s).

Another brilliant aspect of this book is that Tolkien, in his letters, was able to go into in-depth descriptions of objects, and even comparisons between his 'sub-created' cultures and those he had studied or had knowledge of, none of which were or could have been expounded anywhere else. He even gives illustrations for some of these, showing us how he pictured things in Middle-earth. An excellent description of the Númenórean crown of Gondor, along with a comparison to ancient Egypt, stands out in particular.

Simply put, Letters is a must have for the die-hard Tolkien fan and every "Ringer," and will be a most prized addition to their collections.

5 out of 5 stars A must read for fans of Tolkien.......2007-01-06

This is one of the essential sources for those readers who are fans of LOTR and want additional insight into Tolkien's creative process and the meaning of his major work of fiction. Tokien was a fine writer of letters judging by this sampling and wrote in a way that is amusing and interesting.

5 out of 5 stars very good book of letters from the man who must have wrote letters for a living,just wish it had a little more middle-earth init.......2006-03-14

I would suggest that you read this after the lord and silmarillion, but before the whole history set. This will provide you a lot on info of tolien's middle earth, why he was always delayed, some personal problems, his son's going to war, his reflections on the past war, sauron being an allegory to hitler, and many other interesting things.. The letters are written to fans, his son's, other relatives and so on.

Like I said in the title, I wish it would not have gone so much into religion, but it was still interesting, I just wanted to know more about his thoughts on middle earth.

5 out of 5 stars The genius as a man.......2005-11-06

I think this book has something for everybody. You are given personal glimpses into to T's family life, academic environment, meetings with the Inklings, and the dry-heaving struggles with getting LOTR published. He lived quite a life.

As a struggling writer, I felt like was Tolkien. The letters back and forth from the publisher seemed all too familiar. The main thread that interested me was his struggles he had with the mechanics of writing, editing, publishing and marketing LOTR. It was comforting to know that there was a "meat-grinder" even with this literary classic.

I was also impressed and moved by his failure to get the Silmarillion-his heart-song and mainspring for the trilogy-during his life. He stuck too it, and even thought he was "hot property" and obviously marketable, but never succeeded.

There are some oddball surprises. One was a letter from a man named Sam Gamgee, and several letters in elvish and in runes, with the translations in the back. You got to see these letters to believe them.

I also found it fascinating to see his letters that referred to C. L. Lewis. It was interesting to get a second point of view on similar events that you read about in C. L. Lewis's letters. You get a parallax, and therefore better depth perception on the events.

The book has several weaknesses. Many of the letters are really fragments, and therefore incomplete. Furthermore, it is just one volume. A giant such as this deserves more. C. S. Lewis has three volumes of letters, and T deserves the same.

This book allows you to see the genius as a man, and the mind behind the classic.
Letters from Father Christmas, Revised Edition
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Not Free SF Reader
  • You don't know what you're missing
  • Santa Letters - Letters From Sweden
  • Wonderful Stories; Did Not Work in my Classroom
  • This is based on the original edition.
Letters from Father Christmas, Revised Edition
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 061800937X

Book Description

Every December, an envelope from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R. Tolkien's children. Inside would be a letter in strange, spidery handwriting and a beautiful color drawing. The letters told wonderful tales of life at the North Pole: how all the reindeer scattered presents all over the place; how the accident-prone Polar Bear climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Father Christmas's house; how he broke the Moon into four pieces and made the Man in it fall into the back garden; how there were wars with a troublesome horde of goblins. Sometimes the Polar Bear would scrawl a note, adding yet more humor to the stories. No reader, young or old, can fail to be charmed by the inventiveness of Tolkien's Father Christmas Letters.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

A sweet, very clever idea that the John Ronald Reuel Tolkien fellow
came up with to amuse his daughter. Definitely an interesting book for
little kids, old funny looking spidery handwriting, and all. I suppose
they probably rerelease this every year, with how popular he became
recently.


5 out of 5 stars You don't know what you're missing.......2007-01-11

I am a big Tolkien fan but this book was new to me. It was a thrill to find and a thrill to read. I started over 20 years ago giving a Christmas book to my mother in November. I search for something special every year and the names on my Christmas book list keep growing. (I like to think it's because of my inspired choices.) LETTERS FROM FATHER CHRISTMAS has zoomed to the top of the list. The title doesn't do it justice. It is a marvelous story about Father Christmas, elves, polar bears, goblins and adventure. It also combines a family story and reflects a marvelous and moving sense of place and time. Pure genius. Get it for everyone on your list.

5 out of 5 stars Santa Letters - Letters From Sweden.......2005-12-03

Heartwarming, inspiring, uplifting. I also recommend a service that sends Santa letters from Sweden (but return address reads: North Pole).

http://researchonkids.com

4 out of 5 stars Wonderful Stories; Did Not Work in my Classroom.......2005-02-06

While I completely agree with the other reviewers about the beauty and complexity and subtlety of J.R.R. Tolkien's writing in this wonderful collection of his letters and drawings to his children, I tried using this with my middle school 6th graders. They didn't "get" it. Mostly, they thought the story was boring although they found the illustrations "interesting." I ended up buying several different editions of the book, including the one with the letters in envelopes, so that my students could have several different experiences with the text. They never enjoyed it, ever. Perhaps they are at too much of an in-between age and it just wouldn't have been "cool" to like it? As a lover of literature, I was disappointed. As a teacher, I have to wonder if I did something wrong in my presentation of the piece or if another group of students would have reacted differently...

5 out of 5 stars This is based on the original edition........2005-01-12

Most children write letters TO Santa; few get letters FROM Santa (or Father Christmas, as British children call him.) The Tolkein children were lucky; their father was one of the top writers of the 20th C. and a fine--if totally untrained--artist.

These letters are little gems. As the years go on and the Tolkein children got older and more able to follow a complicated story, the letters get more 'literary.' Also, if you will look at the dates, as the situation in Europe heated up, so did Father Christmas' troubles with the Goblins. Children listen to the radio, too, and none of the Tolkein children could have been accused of stupidity; they knew, at some level, that something Very Bad was brewing, and I am sure that seeing that Father Christmas could deal with almost any crisis was comforting to them.

As for the illustrations, JRRT had a wonderful sense of color and line. He was very good at drawing stylized landscapes and interiors. Who wouldn't want someplace like Cliff House? He was less successful at drawing people and animals, probably because he knew very little about anatomy. Still, the portrait of Father Christmas wrapping a package is very fine; his features look somewhat Asiatic. I don't know if it is because JRRT had trouble drawing European round eyes, or if the Tolkein children were old enough to have seen pictures of Lapps and Eskimos and would have felt that such features would be appropriate to a man who lived at the North Pole. Also, the picture of the Polar Bear battling the Goblins to save the Good Children's presents was full of movement and spirit enough that one didn't mind the questionable anatomy; the same could be said of the illustration of the accidental flooding of the English Deliveries room.

If you have children in your life, get a copy. Younger children will love to have these read to them, while older ones will love reading them themselves.
Untangling Tolkien: A Chronology and Commentary for The Lord of the Rings
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Excellent Resource
  • Knits up the ravels
  • A Radiograph of LotR.
  • Splendid Tolkien Reference Work
  • a giant mass of undifferentiated trivia
Untangling Tolkien: A Chronology and Commentary for The Lord of the Rings
Michael W. Perry
Manufacturer: Inkling Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1587420198

Book Description

Here is the book that Tolkien fans have needed for half a century--a detailed, book-length chronology of J. R. R. Tolkien's complex tale. Whether you are a serious Tolkien fan or simply someone who enjoys reading the story over and over again, this is the book for you. It's the first totally new reference for The Lord of the Rings since the 1970s.

Beginning over 1400 years before the major events in Tolkien's epic, it describes, year-by-year, the amazing and imaginative background history that Tolkien created for his masterpiece. Then for the main narrative, it becomes a day-by-day reference, describing what each character does on that day and all the places where those events are described in Tolkien's writings. You can find out, for instance, what Merry and Pippin are doing as Sam perpares rabbit stew on the morning of March 7.

Probe deeper into Tolkien. See why someone as serious as Gandalf was interested in fun-loving Hobbits. Discover an exciting new plot, based on Tolkien's notes, that begins when Aragorn captures Gollum. Follow along as the Black Riders and Gandalf race for the Shire. Decide for yourself whether Sauron and the Ring have any ties to Hitler and Stalin. Explore what Tolkien believed about nature and technology.

A few facts illustrate how helpful this chronology is. Most of narrative is a deliberately confusing sea of next days and third days that leave readers as confused as the tale's main characters.The middle 60 percent of The Lord of the Rings gives the current date only once. In the narrative as a whole, the date is given only 23 times, or once for every 43 pages, and most of those come when the plot is moving slowly. That's why those who want to dig deeper and understand better what Tolkien was saying will find this book a must-have.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource.......2006-12-10

Perry has done a wonderful job in untangling the very intricate tale woven by J.R.R. Tolkien. Of particular help are the copious margin notes which reference exactly where Perry is drawing the information contained within that section of his book. The commentary made by the author is a welcomed pause for reflection on the events that are taking place and keep the book from being a mere listing of dates and events. I teach a course on J.R.R. Tolkien and have found Untangling Tolkien a valuable resource, since it covers the entire history of Middle-earth: what comes before The Hobbit and what takes place after The Lord of The Rings. Bravo Mr. Perry, I look forward to reading your other books.

5 out of 5 stars Knits up the ravels.......2004-10-31

An amazing accomplishment by a dedicated Tolkien fan.

That is how I'd sum up the book Untanging Tolkien. Michael Perry has first unraveled all Tolkien's "dates" -- which can be extrapolated from phases of the moon -- and then knit them together again in a cohesive outline, presented in much greater detail than Tolkien's own timeline (found buried in Appendix A of LOTR). By incorporating information from other Tolkien writings, the author of Untangling Tolkien collates additional facts about all the characters and the circumstances surrounding the War of the Ring, folding them all into this detailed chronology. He includes material that sheds light on possible parallels between Tolkien's work and events that were contemporary, and he provides original commentary that suggests some additional motivations for Tolkien's characters. Sidebars offer references to every source for the information presented and for each conclusion the author has drawn.

I found the format, with quick-reference bulleted lists and clearly delineated sections and subheadings, well-organized and easy to use.

NOTE: I read the third printing that was published in May 2004. Apparently the author has corrected many of the errors that David Bratman objected to (below). You won't find a better overview or a more throrough treatment of time and dates in LOTR than Perry provides in this book.

4 out of 5 stars A Radiograph of LotR........2003-12-27

This book is layed out as a chronological record of the events covered by Tolkein's masterpiece with prefaces that explain the calender system created by Tolkein and its conversion to our more mundane (and possibly inferior) system. The type is clear, and margin citations clear and present for every entry. It's primary utility, at which it succeeds admirably, is as a kind of radiograph of Tolkein's work that reveals its astonishing complexity more clearly and allows one to admire, and more importantly, explore the book itself more quickly, easily, and deeply.

The book also contains copious notes inline with the chronology. These vary from informative to tangential, but at worst do not detract from the book's primary function. Mr. Perry is perhaps foremost as Lewis scholar, and so C.S. Lewis, a close acquaintance and friend of Tolkein, makes a number of appearances. Also making appearances in the notes are William Shakespeare and Winston Churchill.

All in all, a unique book which will save anyone who wants to do an in depth study of LotR a lot of time.

5 out of 5 stars Splendid Tolkien Reference Work.......2003-12-21

Superb, exhaustive chronology of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings saga. Perry does a superior job in untangling a number of thorny chronological issues in Tolkien's narrative, and he employs some fine literary detective work in reconstructing what events are happening across Middle Earth on any given date. Especially admirable is his reconstruction of how much moonlight there was during each day of Frodo and Sam's journey into Mordor.

In addition to chronology, Perry supplies a lot of background information about Tolkien's themes and sources, as well as biographical tidbits about Tolkien. For example, there are fascinating discussions of Tolkien's views of technology, freedom, and totalitarianism. Perry also discusses Tolkien's stance toward the misuse of Germanic myths by the Nazis.

This is a great resource for Tolkien-lovers everywhere.

1 out of 5 stars a giant mass of undifferentiated trivia.......2003-12-21

A year-by-year, later day-by-day, chronicle of the war against Sauron from the founding of the Shire to the glorious conclusion seems at the outset like a good idea. Perry calls LOTR's Appendix B, the Tale of Years, "far from complete" but it covers the whole period: what he means is that it's not detailed enough for him. Appendix B won't tell you which day Sam cooked coney for Frodo; Perry will.

But alas, the book does not stop there. The entries are written as bullet lists like a PowerPoint presentation, and many add pointless little flowcharts such as two-generation family trees. They reduce Tolkien's magnificently complex subcreation into a giant mass of undifferentiated trivia. And each yearly or daily entry comes with its commentary, whether directly relevant, side points, broader considerations, or dogmatic essays in applicability. The unrelieved banality and inappropriateness of these must be read to be believed; as also the author's clumsy, grammatically inept style, and his smug superiority to the characters. (He frequently criticizes the good guys' "blunders," all of them more complex than he implies.)

There's actually some good chronological analysis and speculation hiding in here. But how can someone who knows his Tolkien that well say that the wizards were Valar, or that Rohan gave Isengard to Saruman (it wasn't theirs to give, and Saruman was made its warden, not a freeholder), that Boromir and Faramir had a sibling rivalry (Tolkien specifically says not), or suggest that Galadriel should have sent daily eagles to check up on the Fellowship?

These are not isolated examples: the bloopers and misconceived ideas go on and on. The whole book is like that: it has the soul of a PowerPoint presentation. I can't recommend it on any terms.
Father Christmas Letters
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Letters from Santa
  • A true holiday treat.
  • A tremendous book. . .
  • Charming
  • Good story, but disappointing, shortened version.
Father Christmas Letters
J. R. R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin (T)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0395249813

Book Description

A collection of the letters Tolkien wrote to his children every year from Father Christmas, filled with tales about life at the North Pole and illustrated with Tolkien's drawings.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Letters from Santa.......2004-11-04

J.R.R. Tolkien was best known for his epic fantasy "Lord of the Rings" and his studies in myth and language. But Tolkien was also the proud dad of four kids -- and he didn't just read "Hobbit" to them at bedtime. Over the course of many years, he wrote and illustrated detailed, whimsical letters from Father Christmas, populated with a clumsy polar bear, elves and goblins.

In these letters, Father Christmas kept the Tolkien children updated with stories about the hijinks at the North Pole -- the slapsticky North Polar Bear and all the things he broke, firework explosions, the discovery of ancient caves full of old cave drawings, and battles with the goblins. (When Father Christmas couldn't write, his Elvish secretary filled in)

When reading these letters, it's hard to imagine any luckier kids in the Christmases of the '20s and '30s. After all, how many children gets detailed letters and pictures from Father Christmas -- complete with special stamps? Tolkien's love for his kids is evident in the care he took to create these letters, and the affection that comes from "Father Christmas" that is written in.

Tolkien's old-school style of writing is a bit formal and very correct, but he tosses in comments of exasperation, amusement, and in the last letter, a sort of sad resignation that children will grow up. Maybe it is because they were given to real children, not intended for publication, that the letters are only a little cutesy, and never cloying.

And of course, Tolkien's detailed, colorful, fantastical, intricate pictures are what make the letters come alive; you can imagine the Tolkien kids eagerly examining the pictures as well as the written words. They aren't terribly realistic -- Father Christmas never looks quite real -- but their detailed fantastical charm makes up for it, such as the murals on Father Christmas's walls, with suns, moons, stars and trees.

Tolkien also sprinkles the stories with things that his kids were probably intrigued by, like prehistoric cave paintings, fireworks, and a comic bear who causes all kinds of mayhem. And fans of Tolkien's fantasy works will probably enjoy checking out things like the invented Elf language (as written by the secretary Ilbereth) and goblin language. Tolkien includes a letter from the North Polar Bear in the latter language.

"Letters From Father Christmas" won't exactly make you believe in Santa Claus again, but it is one of the prettiest and most charming Christmas picture books out there. Definitely recommended -- and not just for Tolkien fans too.

5 out of 5 stars A true holiday treat........2004-06-15

Each year without fail, from 1920 to 1939, the children at the Tolkien household received a letter from Father Christmas, telling them of the ludicrous, hilarious events, mishaps and accidents that occurred in the North Pole previous to his yearly visits.
Through his emotive letters and amusing drawings, Father Christmas often explained how most of his misfortunes were directly linked to the curiosity of the well-meaning but rather clumsy Polar Bear (who constantly complained of looking very silly in the drawings). He also shared some little-known facts about life in the North Pole like the "mystery" of the Northern Lights, how he manages to visit all the children in the world in a single night, and who are the real Snowmen.
This pint-sized, delightful book, colorfully illustrated with the author's own drawings, contains a chronologically arranged selection of these letters that is sure to be enjoyable to readers of all ages. This is definitely another Tolkien volume that you can't afford to miss.
--Reviewed by Maritza Volmar

5 out of 5 stars A tremendous book. . ........2002-03-23

. . .which will be a joy to hobbit-lads and lasses for many years to come. (Most "Big People" don't know that Father Christmas visits the Shire each Yule -- but he does!)

In this delightful book, the Master presents a series of illustrated letters sent from the North Pole each year to his children -- just in time for the holidays. In these letters, Father Christmas explains his difficulty in finding good help (thanks to the antics of the North Polar Bear); relates the true facts behind the great Northern Lights; and details frightening battles with the goblins who reside in caves under the Pole.

An excellent collection suitable for all ages (and guaranteed to instill in the youngest of hobbits a heathly desire to avoid goblins of all sorts!)

3 out of 5 stars Charming.......2000-05-17

One can imagine Tolkien and his children by the fire. Father Christmas lives in this book and the reader rediscovers his/her childhood again.

2 out of 5 stars Good story, but disappointing, shortened version........1999-01-22

I was looking forward to getting this book, and reading it to my children for Christmas. However, the actual edition was quite disappointing. For one thing, it is so small (3" x 3") that it is very hard to read, the pictures are hard to see. The reviews on the website implied that it was the full set of stories, with adventures about goblins. Indeed, the back of the book has an excerpt talking about goblins. However, the subset of letters in the actual book has none of the stories dealing with goblins! The stories that are there are nice, but often disjointed because they refer to previous years' events that are past, and there are too few stories, and the pictures are too small. If I had seen this book in a bookstore, I would not have bought it, but it was difficult to judge over the internet. I cannot recommend this book.
FATHER CHRISTMAS LETTERS - First Edition
Average customer rating: Not rated
    FATHER CHRISTMAS LETTERS - First Edition
    J. R. R Tolkien
    Manufacturer: George Allen & Unwin
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover
    ASIN: B000OIN0O6
    LETTERS FROM FATHER CHRISTMAS
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      LETTERS FROM FATHER CHRISTMAS
      J. R. R. Tolkien
      Manufacturer: Easton Press
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Leather Bound
      ASIN: B000U9PHJU

      Product Description

      The complete collection of letters and full-color illustrations that Tolkien created for his own children, many never before published.
      Letters of J R R Tolkien
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Letters of J R R Tolkien
        Humphrey Carpenter
        Manufacturer: HOUGHTON MIFFLIN CO@
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover
        ASIN: B000N66GUY
        THE LETTERS OF J. R. R. TOLKIEN
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          THE LETTERS OF J. R. R. TOLKIEN
          Humphrey Carpenter
          Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Company Boston
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover
          ASIN: B000OR1WH4
          The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien
            J. R. R.; Tolkien, Christopher (editor); Carpenter, Humphrey (editor) Tolkien
            Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Company
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Hardcover
            ASIN: B000O2T8GG
            The Letters Of J.R.R.Tolkien
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              The Letters Of J.R.R.Tolkien
              Humphrey (Ed) CARPENTER
              Manufacturer: Publisher Unknown
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Paperback
              ASIN: B000WBKQWO

              Knowing One's Enemies: Intelligence Assessment Before the Two World Wars
              Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
              • A must have for Military Intelligence Professionals
              Knowing One's Enemies: Intelligence Assessment Before the Two World Wars

              Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Paperback

              GeneralGeneral | Military | History | Subjects | Books
              Similar Items:
              1. Honorable Treachery: A History of U.S. Intelligence, Espionage, and Covert Action from the American Revolution to the CIA Honorable Treachery: A History of U.S. Intelligence, Espionage, and Covert Action from the American Revolution to the CIA
              2. Thinking In Time : The Uses Of History For Decision Makers Thinking In Time : The Uses Of History For Decision Makers

              ASIN: 0691006016

              Customer Reviews:

              5 out of 5 stars A must have for Military Intelligence Professionals.......2004-02-28

              "Knowing One's Enemies" should be required reading in every intelligence school and staff college. The uniqueness and value of the work lies in the penetrating study of how military analysis was conducted by the post World War I major military powers. The authors examine the various military intelligence institutions, their missions, and standing within their parent organizations. The writers then evaluate the success or failure of the organizations in performing their tasks. The book benefits by having sufficient chronological distance from the personalities, service cultures, and events studied to utilize unclassified material that is unavailable for more recent intelligence activities. The writing and analysis are excellent. It will cause the contemporary reader to be introspective of their own predjudices and prejudgments. The authors show how easy it is to get intelligence anaysis wrong or not even conduct useful analysis at all. Track down a copy of this book and read it carefully. It will be time well spent.
              Knowing One's Enemies: Intelligence Assessment Before The Two World Wars
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                Knowing One's Enemies: Intelligence Assessment Before The Two World Wars
                Ernest R. (editor) May
                Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Hardcover
                ASIN: B000IMRRK6

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