Beowulf. Translated by J.R.R. Tolkien. First American Edition, First Printing. Houghton, Mifflin. Boston, 2014.

There will probably never be a better fantasy author than J.R.R. Tolkien. His Lord of the Rings trilogy and its precursor, The Hobbit, have largely defined the whole genre. Tolkien’s genius for fantasy stems from his dedication to the philological history of England. The myths, folklore, and languages of Middle Earth are deeply informed by the history of the British Isles and the English language. It is of significant importance, then, to understand Tolkien’s reading and translation of this text in particular: Beowulf–an epic poem recounting a Germanic heroic legend from sometime prior to the tenth century AD. It is one of the most important existing texts in Old English with numerous translations today. Tolkien’s translation ranks high among them. Alongside his major essays on the text, Tolkien provided some of the most influential Beowulf scholarship of the twentieth century. This edition contains Tolkien’s translation, his commentary, and his work on the Sellic Spell. In order to understand Tolkien’s other major works, readers must consider his scholarship on Beowulf. It reveals much about his genius for narrative, languages, and myth.

This first American edition, first printing is in fine condition. In the original cloth, fine. Text block fine. In the original dust jacket, fine

A fine first American edition of Tolkien’s Beowulf.