The Adventures of Tom Bombadil

by J.R.R. Tolkien

Book Overview

A revised and expanded edition of Tolkien's own Hobbit-inspired poetry, including previously unpublished poems and notes, and beautiful illustrations by Narnia artist Pauline Baynes.

One of the most intriguing characters in The Lord of the Rings, the amusing and enigmatic Tom Bombadil also appears in verses said to have been written by Hobbits and preserved in the "Red Book" with stories of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins and their...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 006341354X
• ISBN13: 9780063413542
• Release Date: August 2024
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 304 Pages

Customer Reviews

Children will remember these

You do not have to be a fan of Middle Earth to enjoy these. Even though JRRT keeps them in the story by giving the history of their various authorship and antiquity, some are admittedly newer having been written by Bilbo or Frodo, these poems have a charm that makes them unusually vivid to young and old alike. There is a play in the nature of language in these that does seem to make them ancient. Maybe they are. In any case, for whatever the reason, it is amazing to see over the years how these poems "stick" in the mind. Perhaps the most interesting of them is "The Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late" followed by "The Man in the Moon Came Down Too Soon". (I note that one web site has the first poem mislabeled as the second.) What these do is remarkable though I can't put my finger on what it is. Children will remember these if you read them to them. They are positive and inspiring and positively sparkle with light and love of words.

Tolkien may have been a master at fantasy, but what a poet!

I actually read these works in The Tolkien Reader, but I might as well share my opinions on this, since it's sold separately. The first two poems are about Tom Bombadil, but to tell the truth, they don't exactly give what a lot of Tolkien fans wish for: a history of Tom. Where he came from, and who he is. He remains a weird old man with yellow boots, I guess.The other poems are a treat to read. Any readers of the Rings trilogy know that Tolkien favored many poems, and many of them were very good. A few of them will be recognized by Rings fans, because some of them are used, such as the Man in the Moon (which bears striking resemblance to the nursery rhyme about the Cow Jumping Over the Moon).For Tolkien fans, this is a great book to read, but since this edition is not widely available, you should check out the Tolkien Reader.

Tolkien's Best Poetry

Not to many people regard Tolkien as a serious poet: No doubt this is largely the result of the fact that our culture is still gestating the enormous influence his work has had upon it. Another (obvious) reason is that critics, such as Edmund Wilson, simply don't like Tolkien and would like him permanently relegated to the realm of childhood literature.-This thin book of verse,in its spare sixteen poems, is evidence to the contrary. They owe a great deal to Shelley (whom many would also like to relegate to some not quite Literary with a capital "L" realm.) -In fact, parts of "The Sea Bell," by far the best poem in the book, can almost be transliterated line-by-line from a stanza in Shelley's "The Revolt of Islam." -To give an idea of the piquancy of the book's best poems, the last poem in this little book (not inappropriately titled "The Last Ship") concerns a fair maiden wishing to escape the bonds of mortality in an Elven boat passing in the early morning: "A sudden music came to her came, as she stood there gleaming." But, alas, of course,though she dares one step, her mortality bars her from such an escape, "...then deep in clay her feet sank and she halted staring."-Exquisite. Aside from the sheer beauty of such poems, there are obviously deeper themes here than those to be found in nursery rhymes. And, for Heaven's sake, compare it to the grating, nonsensical ranting that has come to pass for sophisticated poetry nowadays!-Why is this book not in print?!?

Great Book!

the adventures of tom bombadil is a great book, and is a verry fast read. I read the book in about 2 hours. If you like the hobbit or the lord of the rings, you will definetly like this book.

Fine verse

It is crazy that this book should be out of print. What are publishers thinking of? The verses are a delight, though they become increasingly tragic as the book progresses - "The Sea Bell" is a devastating account of something like clinical depression, yet like many of the rest it has a strange beauty. On the surface much is easy-to-read verse, but often has subtle allusions to deep matters. Many links with "The Lord of the Rings" for those who know where to look, and, I think, an unusually personal account of Tolkien's own struggles to find beauty, wonder and enchantment in the bleak modern world - it is only coincidence that "The Sea Bell" is the only one of his major works for publication written in the first person?