2007 has been quite an exciting year for Tolkien fans! There’s been an abundance of news and events from across the globe including openings of musicals, new book releases and new movies in the pipeline: something to satisfy just about any geeky preference! As a thank-you for following all the developments of the year with us, we thought we’d put together a retrospective of the top Tolkien stories of 2007 in one convenient list. The list below is in chronological order.

Here’s to a 2008 that’s just as exciting! Stay tuned! Continue reading “Top Tolkien Stories of 2007”

Starting November 2, the Field Museum in Chicago is hosting an exhibit that will include some of J.R.R. Tolkien’s maps and writing. Specifically, included will be Thror’s Map from The Hobbit, Topographical View of Minas Tirith from The Return of the King, and Notes on Times and Distances by J.R.R. Tolkien (all of the John P. Raynor, S.J. Library, Marquette University).

From clay tablets to sea charts, from satellite navigation systems to sketches of worlds real and imagined—maps are much more than wayfinding. Travel through landscapes of time and space, science and imagination, in a rare exhibition of more than 100 of the world’s greatest maps. Explore high-tech interactive displays, and see original works by Ptolemy, Leonardo da Vinci, J.R.R. Tolkien, and many others. You’ll learn how early maps were made, see how the technology changed over centuries, and discover the latest advances in digital map-making. [More]

From Stephen Hubbard at bookreporter.com: Bilbo Baggins just wants to live his quiet, peaceful life in the Shire. And he’s doing a mighty fine job of it until the great wizard, Bladorthin, shows up at his door with a gaggle of dwarves. Their leader, Gandalf, tells of the vicious dragon, Pryftan, who overtook their home. Bilbo joins up with them for a grand adventure. Ultimately he saves the day and along the way happens to discover a magical ring. That is how the story originally took shape. With THE HISTORY OF THE HOBBIT, author John D. Rateliff pieces together fragments of history in order to present THE HOBBIT as it was originally drafted by J.R.R. Tolkien. With access to the documents at Marquette University, the project was originally undertaken by Taum Santoski, who passed away following a battle with cancer at an all-too-young age. The torch was then passed to Rateliff with the full blessing of Christopher Tolkien. ‘The History of The Hobbit’ Review

BONITA SPRINGS, FL — The trustees of a million dollar movie trilogy have threatened to sue a local mom and pop eatery. Many people read the “Lord of the Rings” books or seen the films, but the owners of the Hobbit Grille have not done either. They say they’re ready to take on the Saul Zaentz Company, whose attorneys have promised to bury the deli if the owners don’t immediately drop the word “hobbit” from the name.”I just like the name,” explained Co-Owner Thomas Schillig.”What are they going to gain from it? They’re going to put me out of business,” said Chef Paul Mandell.

'The History of the Hobbit' Released Sometimes, I just love being me…This week Houghton Mifflin sent me a surprise package which to my delight contained ‘The History of the Hobbit’ part 1 and 2 by John Rateliff. Each volume is available now, while the 3 book set (which included The Hobbit) is available for pre-order on Amazon.com today. Be sure to pick up your copy today!!

‘The History of the Hobbit’ Released