The Making of Middle-Earth

First of all, this is an absolutely beautiful book. I have the 2022 re-release. The cover is stunning and the internal contents is presented so clearly and in such an aesthetically pleasing way. Truly gorgeous on the shelf, coffee table, desk, wherever.

Now, if you're a massive Tolkien reader, you may not learn anything new from this book. However, it covers just about everything, with sections on Tolkien's life, his influences from the Middle Ages, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion and others, on top of the critical response to his writings, a section on media and adaptations, as well as Tolkien culture (and counterculture). Such a huge amount in a relatively short book! 350 pages including an extensive bibliography and index. It's engaging and while informative and educational, it doesn't get bogged down in academia or specialist lingo (as it it were).

If you're looking for a place to start learning about Tolkien and the legendarium on a deeper level, this would absolutely be the book to do it. And while it's not necessarily for specialists, it's a lovely book that is jam-packed with information from every corner of Middle-earth.