THE HISTORY OF MIDDLE-EARTH :

THE PEOPLES OF MIDDLE-EARTH
First published in 1996, by George Allen & Unwin. Volume 12 of The History of Middle-earth series.

In 1937, Tolkien laid aside "The Silmarillion," the extension of his original mythology into later Ages of the world had scarcely emerged. Tolkien himself noted that he knew nothing of the peoples and history of these Ages until he "met them on the way."

It was in the appendices to "The Lord of the Rings" that there emerged a comprehensive historical structure and chronology of the Second and Third Ages, embracing all the diverse strands that came together in "The War of the Ring." Tolkien's difficulty—bordering on despair—in providing these appendices, leading to delay in the publication of "The Return of the King," is well known. In "The Peoples of Middle-earth," however, Christopher Tolkien shows that the work had in fact been achieved years before, in essays and records differing greatly from the published forms.

A number of other writings by Tolkien are also included in this book; they derive chiefly from his last years, when new insights and constructions freely arose as he pondered the history that he had created.

This final volume of "The History of Middle-earth" concludes with two soon-abandoned stories, both unique in setting of time and place: "The New Shadow" in Gondor of the Fourth Age, and the tale of "Tal-elmar," in which the coming of the dreaded coming Númenórean ships is seen through the eyes of men of Middle-earth in the Dark Years.

PAGE NOTES:

• Learn more about "The Peoples of Middle-earth," by reading the 'Wikipedia Entry' for this book.