If you are like me, whenever you see a picture of someone in front of a bookcase (especially if it's your favorite author), you wonder "What are those books?" Well. Oronzo Cilli does too, and instead of just letting it go at that, he spent years researching what was in Tolkien's library, much of which was donated to and catalogued by various colleges, sold to booksellers, or inherited by his family. As a result, "we know more about J. R. R. Tolkien than about almost any other author, from any period" - and now, thanks to this book, more about his reading habits.
This is, of course, more of a reference book than a reader, and many of the volumes listed are very scholarly works related to Tolkien's pursuit of philology. But even that gives you an insight into his life and interests. There are fairy tales and 'popular literature'. Included are works by his fellow Inklings, presents from his family, and notes from his own letters and diaries about his opinions of what he's read. There are even, in separate sections, lists of his lectures, the student theses he examined, and interviews that he gave. It gives us a fascinating insight into the furnishings of his mind.
This is a beautiful book, of interesting and somehow (to me) appealing dimensions (6 3/4 x 9 3/4). It has a foreword by famed Tolkien scholar Tom Shippey and a cover by Jay Johnstone in his engaging medieval/Greek icon style. My copy is only slighly marred by a sort of pinch on the spine where I am convinced an Amazon robot gripped it from off a shelf in one of their cavernous warehouses.
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