I have always loved J.R.R. Tolkien and his Lord of the Rings trilogy. I can remember reading them with my father when I was a little girl. Tolkien’s mastery of the English language, his vivid story telling, and the magic of Middle Earth have captivated me my entire life. This is why I was thrilled to discover recently that one of his unpublished works would finally be available. Beren and Lúthien draws from material in the History of Middle Earth to tell the tale of the title characters. I look forward to delving into this latest installment of Middle Earth and I hope you enjoy it as well! Thanks to The Tolkien Society and The Wall Street Journal for the information! 

H/T The Tolkien Society 

“The earliest version of the tale of Beren and Lúthien was written in 1917, when Beren was an Elf not a Man and the equivalent of Sauron was a large evil cat.

The story underwent considerable revision throughout Tolkien’s life, and was reworked in both prose and poetry. The new book will demonstrate this evolution.” 

H/T The Wall Street Journal 

“In 1917, after returning from the Battle of the Somme, J.R.R. Tolkien wrote a story inspired by his wife, Edith. Titled ‘Beren and Lúthien,’ it was a Middle-earth tale about a mortal man who falls in love with an immortal elf.

Though he never published it, the story was close to his heart. It formed the kernel of his book, ‘The Silmarillion.’ And years later, he had the characters’ names engraved on the gravestone he shared with his wife.

Next May, ‘Beren and Lúthien’ will be published, a century after it was written.” 

For these entire stories, please see The Tolkien Society and The Wall Street Journal