The first ever publication of J. R. R. Tolkien’s final writings on Middle-earth, covering a wide-range of subjects, and the perfect next read for those who have enjoyed Unfinished Tales and the History of Middle-earth series and are hungry for more.
The Nature of Middle-earth will comprise numerous late (c. 1959-73) and previously unpublished writings by J.R.R. Tolkien on the “nature” of Middle-earth, in both chief senses of that word: both metaphysical and natural/historical.
For Tolkien fans, readers, and scholars interested in learning more about Tolkien’s own views on Middle-earth. It will appeal in particular to those readers who enjoyed Unfinished Tales, and some of the later volumes of the History of Middle-earth. Indeed, many of the texts to be included are closely associated with materials published in those places, and were sent to Hostetter, specifically, in photocopy by Christopher Tolkien for potential publication.
Much as Unfinished Tales forms an unofficial thirteenth volume of the History of Middle-earth, this new book will sit very nicely alongside as an unofficial 14th volume. Of particular note, given the impending Amazon series, are several texts detailing the lands, flora, and fauna of Númenor, and the lives of Númenóreans.
(from HarperCollins)

★奥斯卡桂冠电影《指环王》系列原著小说；我们时代伟大奇幻史诗的终极收藏版，“中国最美图书”设计者陆智昌操刀设计。
★乔治·R.R.马丁、J.K.罗琳、彼得·杰克逊顶礼膜拜之作；阿西莫夫、阿瑟·克拉克、特里·普拉切特、厄休拉·勒古恩、尼尔·盖曼，众天才敬仰的大师巅峰。
★ 托尔金基金会指定译本，精装版全新修订；奥斯卡得主艾伦·李五十幅插图全新校色。
★超多随书超值“附件”：海报式中洲西境全图、拉页式夏尔地图、刚铎详图，首次收入"马扎布尔之书残片"图像，一套六张艾伦·李插图明信片。
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它是以我的心血写成，无论浓淡，如此而已；我写不出另一部了。——J.R.R.托尔金
这是一部为了世界的光明未来，誓死抵抗黑暗的伟大史诗。
至尊魔戒，拥有统御众戒、奴役世界的力量，黑暗魔君索隆苦觅已久。为了守护家园，魔戒继承人弗罗多毅然离开宁谧淳朴的夏尔，踏上前途未卜的旅途。与他同行的是睿智的巫师、勇敢的人类、美善的精灵、坚毅的矮人和热爱和平的霍比特人。征途见证了勇气与友谊。跃马客栈里的重重暗影，卡扎督姆桥的怒吼炎魔，勇猛骁勇的洛汗骠骑，范贡森林的上古树须，凄厉嘶嚎的邪恶戒灵，陡峭山壁旁的巨型毒蛛……每个人各自抵御着无尽的诱惑与磨难，承担起属于自己的善恶考验。
平凡的霍比特人战栗在末日烈焰面前，他能战胜这噬灭灵魂的至尊魔戒吗？
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这是一个攸关生存与勇气，为了人类的光明未来，誓死抵抗黑暗的动人故事。——彼得•杰克逊
我14岁时就开始阅读《魔戒》。到《哈利•波特》写到最后一卷时，我仍然坚持认为自己不会超越托尔金，他的作品里有全新的语言和神话，而我的魔幻世界里没有这些东西。——J.K.罗琳
拿到托尔金的书时，天啊，我绝望了，我怎么努力也达不到他的成就，甚至连接近也做不到！他是真正的大师。——乔治·R.R.马丁
《魔戒》是我会在一生中不断重读的书，这样的书寥寥无几……从来没有任何一位作者，曾创造出如此精细的虚幻世界与虚构历史。读毕全书六卷与附录，你会对托尔金的中洲大陆，对其中的景观、动植物、诸种族和他们的语言、历史、文化气质了如指掌，就像是对自己花园外的真实世界那般熟稔。——W.H.奥登
很长一段时间以来，我都想给你写信，告诉你我是多么地为《魔戒》而欣喜、入迷、陶醉。——艾丽丝·默多克
我在1955年读了《魔戒》，花了四天读完的。我就这么掉进了故事里，在那儿生活了几周。《魔戒》是那种我一辈子都想读的书，作为一名奇幻作家，它对我影响巨大……《魔戒》向我展示了，你可以用奇幻故事做什么。——厄休拉·勒古恩
托尔金已变成一座大山，在所有后续的奇幻作品中都有出现，就像富士山在日本画中的频繁出现。有时它庞大、近在咫尺；有时它只是地平线上的轮廓；有时它根本不在那里，这意味着艺术家……其实是站在富士山上。——特里·普拉切特
我热爱托尔金。他的言语词句如同自然万物，如同岩壁的结构与瀑布的奔流。对于我，如果痴心达到托尔金的写作水准，就如同妄想像樱桃树一般绽放花枝，像一只小松鼠想攀上树顶，像一场平常降水想被称作暴风骤雨。——尼尔·盖曼
当我像你们这么大的时候，我正一头扎进《魔戒》和《霍比特人》之中。它们不只是冒险故事，更教会我人们如何互动，以及人有善恶。——奥巴马
《魔戒》是终极的冒险，终极的善与恶的对决，终极的编年史。总有无穷尽的模仿者，但它从未被超越。——《堪萨斯城市之星》
英语世界由两部分人组成：阅读过《魔戒》和《霍比特人》的人，即将要去读它们的人。——《星期日泰晤士报》
他的想象，创造出样貌不同的地域，从至为可怖，到真正的天堂。他的造物，充满无可比拟的真实可信。他的世界，当你置身其间，就会明白这是一片如此真实而又前所未见的大陆。——《波士顿环球报》
托尔金具有对世界万物最为深刻的洞察力，关于世界万物的现在，它们可能的将来，可能的过去。——《哈特福德时报》
文学史上最值得标榜的伟大作品之一，它属于我们这个时代，或者说，属于所有时代。——伯纳德·莱文
它将代代流传，终至不朽。—— 内奥米·米奇森

This richly illustrated book explores the huge creative endeavour behind Tolkien’s enduring popularity. Lavishly illustrated with over 300 images of his manuscripts, drawings, maps and letters, the book traces the creative process behind his most famous literary works – The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion and reproduces personal photographs and private papers (some of which have never been seen before in print).
Tolkien drew on his deep knowledge of medieval literature and language to inform his literary imagination. Six introductory essays cover some of the main themes in Tolkien’s life and work including the influence of northern languages and legends on the creation of his own legendarium; his concept of ‘Faërie’ as a literary construct; the central importance of his invented languages in his fantasy writing; his visual imagination and its emergence in his artwork; and the encouragement he derived from the literary group known as the Inklings.
This book brings together the largest collection of original Tolkien material ever assembled in a single volume. Drawing on the archives of the Tolkien collections at the Bodleian Libraries, Oxford, and Marquette University, Milwaukee, as well as private collections, this exquisitely produced catalogue draws together the worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien – scholarly, literary, creative and domestic – offering a rich and detailed understanding and appreciation of this extraordinary author.

A new expanded edition of Tolkien's most famous, and most important essay, which defined his conception of fantasy as a literary form, and which led to the writing of The Lord of the Rings. Accompanied by a critical study of the history and writing of the text. J.R.R. Tolkien's "On Fairy-stories" is his most-studied and most-quoted essay, an exemplary personal statement of his views on the role of imagination in literature, and an intellectual tour de force vital for understanding Tolkien's achievement in the writing of The Lord of the Rings. "On Fairy-stories" comprises about 18,000 words. What is little-known is that when Tolkien expanded the essay in 1943, he wrote many more pages of his views that were originally condensed into or cut from the published version. An estimate is difficult, but these unpublished passages perhaps amount to half again as much writing as the essay itself. These passages contain important elaborations of his views on other writers, and their publication represents a significant addition to Tolkien studies. Included in this new critical study of the work are: / An introductory essay setting the stage for Tolkien's 1939 lecture (the origin of the essay) and placing it within a historical context. / A history of the writing of 'On Fairy-stories', beginning with coverage of the original lecture as delivered, and continuing through to first publication in 1947. / The essay proper as published in corrected form in Tree and Leaf (1964). / Commentary on the allusions in the text, and notes about the revisions Tolkien made to the text as published in Tree and Leaf. / Important material not included in the essay as published, with commentary by the editors. Contained within "On Fairy-stories" are the roots of the tree of tales that bore such glittering fruit in Tolkien's published and unpublished work. Here, at last, Flieger and Anderson reveal through literary archaeology the extraordinary genesis of this seminal work and discuss, in their engaging commentary, how what Tolkien discovered during the writing of the essay would shape his writing for the rest of his life.

While nothing can equal or replace the adventure in reading Tolkien’s masterwork, The Lord of the Rings, Peter Kreeft says that the journey into its underlying philosophy can be another exhilarating adventure. Thus, Kreeft takes the reader on a voyage of discovery into the philosophical bones of Middle earth. He organizes the philosophical themes in The Lord of the Rings into 50 categories, accompanied by over 1,000 references to the text of Lord. Since many of the great questions of philosophy are included in the 50-theme outline, this book can also be read as an engaging introduction to philosophy. For each of the philosophical topics in Lord, Kreeft presents tools by which they can be understood. Illustrated.

The definitive critical study of Tolkien's greatest works by the respected and world renowned Tolkien scholar Professor T.A. Shippey. Following the unprecedented and universal acclaim for The Lord of the Rings, the respected academic and world-renowned Tolkien scholar, Professor Tom Shippey, presents us with a fascinating and informed companion to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien, in particular focusing on The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. Written in a clear and accessible style, Tolkien: Author of the Century reveals why all of these books will be timeless, and shows how even such complex works as The Silmarillion can be read enjoyably. Taking issue with the uninformed criticism that has often been levelled at Tolkien and fantasy in general, Professor Shippey offers a new approach to Tolkien, to fantasy and to the importance of language in literature, and demonstrates how his books form part of a live and continuing tradition of storytelling that can trace its roots back through Grimm's Fairy Tales to the Elder Edda and Beowulf.

★《霍比特人》《魔戒》前传，中洲远古三大传说完结篇，整个中洲世界的基石。
★奥斯卡奖得主、奇幻插画大师艾伦·李倾情创作8幅彩色插图、15幅黑白插图。
★克里斯托弗·托尔金最后一次整理其父作品，为中洲远古三大传说的合璧画上了圆满的句号。
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这个 述及图奥在刚多林的旅居、他与伊缀尔·凯勒布琳达尔的结合、埃雅仁迪尔的出生、迈格林的背叛、城邦的陷落和幸存者的逃离的故事，这个在家父对第一纪元的想象中处于核心地位的故事，家父平生写出的完整版本却仅有一个，便是那部创作于青年时代的文稿，这样的事实可谓极不寻常。——克里斯托弗·托尔金
继《贝伦与露西恩》《胡林的子女》之后，《刚多林的陷落》作为中洲远古时代的三大传说最终章，见证了第一纪元终于走向终结。这三大传说既是《魔戒》那宏大背景的组成部分，更是《精灵宝钻》必不可少的基石。
《刚多林的陷落》也是克里斯托弗·托尔金编辑整理的最后一部托尔金作品。
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这是托尔金耗费一生所写的故事，虽是个悲剧，你却可看到作者对中洲世界无尽的热情。——《娱乐周刊》
这是一本托尔金迷绝对想要拥有的书，更是一本值得一读的书，即使那些人认为他们已经熟知这个故事了。——《今日圣路易斯》
本书会提醒罗琳所有的读者，罗琳一系列作品中的探索、寻找身份认同，以及笼罩人心的邪恶等许多的主题，是源自托尔金（并其他作家）。两位作者都使用神话、法术和奇幻故事为架构，呈现出这些巨大的议题。——《今日美国》
我热爱托尔金。他的言语词句如同自然万物，如同岩壁的结构与瀑布的奔流。对于我，如果痴心达到托尔金的写作水准，就如同妄想像樱桃树一般绽放花枝，像一只小松鼠想攀上树顶，像一场平常降水想被称作暴风骤雨。——尼尔·盖曼（《美国众神》作者）

胡林的子女的传奇，是J.R.R.托尔金教授创造的瑰丽世界——中洲里最重要的故事之一。与“贝伦与露西恩”“刚多林的陷落”并称中洲远古时代的三大传说；既是《魔戒》那宏大背景的组成部分，更是《精灵宝钻》必不可少的基石。悲剧英雄图林的经历，有世界各地神话的遗绪，又有赫克托耳、科里奥兰纳斯等辈的悲怆。堕落的维拉魔苟斯擒获人类族长胡林，对其威逼利诱软硬兼施，强迫其屈服。胡林的凛然让魔苟斯心生毒计，转而诅咒胡林的儿女——图林和涅诺尔兄妹，并强迫胡林眼见两人遭遇种种不幸……

The authorized biography of the creator of Middle-earth. In the decades since his death in September 1973, millions have read THE HOBBIT, THE LORD OF THE RINGS, and THE SILMARILLION and become fascinated about the very private man behind the books.

Born in South Africa in January 1892, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was orphaned in childhood and brought up in near-poverty. He served in the first World War, surviving the Battle of the Somme, where he lost many of the closest friends he'd ever had. After the war he returned to the academic life, achieving high repute as a scholar and university teacher, eventually becoming Merton Professor of English at Oxford where he was a close friend of C.S. Lewis and the other writers known as The Inklings.
Then suddenly his life changed dramatically. One day while grading essay papers he found himself writing 'In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit' -- and worldwide renown awaited him.
Humphrey Carpenter was given unrestricted access to all Tolkien's papers, and interviewed his friends and family. From these sources he follows the long and painful process of creation that produced THE LORD OF THE RINGS and THE SILMARILLION and offers a wealth of information about the life and work of the twentieth century's most cherished author.

The popular paperback edition of this fascinating collection of stories, which continue the tales of The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion and contains an alternative version of The Children of Hurin. Unfinished Tales is a collection of narratives ranging in time from the Elder Days of Middle-earth to the end of the War of the Ring, and provides those who have read The Lord of the Rings with a whole collection of background and new stories from the twentieth century's most acclaimed popular author. The book concentrates on the realm of Middle-earth and comprises such elements as Gandalf's lively account of how it was that he came to send the Dwarves to the celebrated party at Bag-End, the emergence of the sea-god Ulmo before the eyes of Tuor on the coast of Beleriand, and an exact description of the military organization of the Riders of Rohan. Unfinished Tales also contains the only story about the long ages of Numenor before its downfall, and all that is known about such matters as the Five Wizards, the Palantiri and the legend of Amroth. The tales were collated and edited by JRR Tolkien's son and literary heir, Christopher Tolkien, who provides a short commentary on each story, helping the reader to fill in the gaps and put each story into the context of the rest of his father's writings.

凡人贝伦与出身不朽的精灵一族的露西恩相爱，然而他们的爱情起初无法得到露西恩的父亲——精灵王辛葛的首肯。为使贝伦知难而退，辛葛提出了求娶露西恩的条件：贝伦必须完成一个看似没有希望完成的任务。这个任务就是传奇的核心，它促使贝伦与露西恩一同立下了无上的英雄功绩：从初代黑暗魔君，比后世的索隆还要强大恐怖的魔苟斯那里，夺回一颗精灵宝钻。
贝伦与露西恩的传奇，是J.R.R. 托尔金教授创造的瑰丽世界——中洲里最重要的故事之一。它位列中洲远古时代的三大传说当中，既是《魔戒》那宏大背景的组成部分，更是《精灵宝钻》必不可少的基石，同时在作者自己的人生中也具有非同寻常的意义。在去世的前一年，J.R.R. 托尔金曾在一封信中述及他对亡妻的怀念。他写道：“她就是后来成为《精灵宝钻》首要部分的那个故事的源头……但故事脱离了正轨，我被抛下了，而我无法去铁面无情的曼督斯面前恳求。”
在本书中，克里斯托弗·托尔金作出了全新的尝试：将故事从大背景中抽取出来，利用作者本人在不同创作阶段写出的一系列文稿，对人物与情节的发展脉络进行梳理和对比，从而向读者展示贝伦与露西恩的故事在数十年的光阴中所经历的演变全貌。

《努门诺尔与中洲之未完的传说》汇集了自远古至魔戒大战结束、时间跨度足有数千年之久的种种中洲逸事：
巫师甘道夫对促成矮人聚首袋底洞、谋复孤山的生动叙述；
伊熙尔杜身遭不测，魔戒落入大河的前因后果；
加拉德瑞尔的过往与力量之戒的铸成；
刚铎与洛汗两国缘何结下同仇敌忾的生死盟约；
沉沦之地努门诺尔漫长历史遗留的唯一记载；
以及初代黑暗魔君尚未败亡之时，杜内丹人的先祖图奥是如何亲见司掌众水之神乌欧牟现身于贝烈瑞安德的海滨，传奇英雄图林又何以慨叹自己“自童年起就在魔苟斯的黑暗迷雾中摸索”。
本书是为渴望更加了解中洲的语言文化、历史传说、风土人情的读者准备的厚礼。
诚然，书中“每个故事都是‘未完’的，差别只在程度的深浅，并且是多种意义上的‘未完’”，但传奇本无穷尽，故也永不终结。

此書敘述中土世界第一紀元的故事，遠比《魔戒》的時代古老許多，《魔戒》中的人物，如愛隆與凱蘭崔爾，都在這齣古老的戲劇中扮演了重要的角色。
書名《精靈寶鑽》是「精靈寶鑽爭戰史」的簡稱，描寫最有才能的精靈－－費諾所造三顆偉大寶石的故事；他將照亮諸神所居之地維林諾的雙聖樹的光芒收存到寶石之中。當黑暗之王魔苟斯摧毀了雙聖樹後，那璀璨的光芒唯獨活在精靈寶鑽中；魔苟斯奪走了寶石，將它們鑲在他的王冠上，他在中土大陸北方的堡壘，固若金湯的安格班中稱王。《精靈寶鑽》記載費諾與其族人背叛了諸神，流亡到了中土大陸，對魔苟斯這位巨大而可怕的敵人發動戰爭，寫下一連串精靈與人類絕望又英勇的故事。
本書除了最主要的「精靈寶鑽爭戰史」，還包含其他短篇：敘述創造之始的〈埃努的大樂章〉，描述諸神特性與力量的〈關於維拉與邁雅的記載〉，述說爭戰史之後的短篇〈努曼諾爾淪亡史〉，講述在第二紀元末努曼諾爾島上的王國沈淪滅亡的故事；最後，讓本書大功告成的短篇是〈魔戒與第三紀元〉。
《精靈寶鑽》於1977年首次出版時，曾獲得以下的佳評：
「這本一個人寫作超過半世紀的作品，竟成為一群人的創作源頭，這是怎麼辦到的？」
衛報
「原本抱著創作英文神話的雄心，最後卻成了偉大的真神話！」 金融時報
「一部非凡絕美的創作……在其最佳時刻展現壯麗風華。」
華盛頓郵報
「一本嚴酷、悲傷、細密構思而又美麗不已的書，充滿著英雄主義與希望。」
多倫多環球郵報

Three-volume boxed set edition lavishly illustrated in full color by Alan Lee One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, The Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth still it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell, by chance, into the hands of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. From his fastness in the Dark Tower of Mordor, Sauron's power spread far and wide. He gathered all the Great Rings to him, but ever he searched far and wide for the One Ring that would complete his dominion. On his eleventy-first birthday, Bilbo dissapeared bequeathing to his young cousin, Frodo, the Ruling Ring, and a perilous quest: to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom. The Lord of the Rings tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the wizard, the hobbits Merry, Pippin and Sam, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas the Elf, Boromir of Gondor, and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider.

这是一部为了世界的光明未来，誓死抵抗黑暗的伟大史诗。
至尊魔戒，拥有统御众戒、奴役世界的力量，黑暗魔君索隆苦觅已久。为了守护家园，魔戒继承人弗罗多毅然离开宁谧淳朴的夏尔，踏上前途未卜的旅途。与他同行的是睿智的巫师、勇敢的人类、美善的精灵、坚毅的矮人和热爱和平的霍比特人。征途见证了勇气与友谊。跃马客栈里的重重暗影，卡扎督姆桥的怒吼炎魔，勇猛骁勇的洛汗骠骑，范贡森林的上古树须，凄厉嘶嚎的邪恶戒灵，陡峭山壁旁的巨型毒蛛……每个人各自抵御着无尽的诱惑与磨难，承担起属于自己的善恶考验。
平凡的霍比特人战栗在末日烈焰面前，他能战胜这噬灭灵魂的至尊魔戒吗？
全书共三部：《魔戒同盟》《双塔殊途》《王者归来》。
艾伦•李（《指环王》三部曲，奥斯卡最佳艺术指导奖）50幅恢弘经典插画完美收录。

★英国文豪、《霍比特人》《魔戒》作者托尔金经典亲子绘本
★带给孩子所有属于圣诞的快乐、无邪与甜蜜
★萌娃多多爱不释手的睡前枕边书
★幸福老爸黄磊带多多共同翻译，双语呈现大师风采
托尔金用小儿子克里斯托弗的玩具小汽车和驾驶员，以及三个孩子的玩具熊为灵感创作了图文并茂的《幸福先生》。那辆得以驶入童话世界尽情驰骋的玩具车自此成为克里斯托弗最珍爱的玩具。
故事的主人公幸福先生，是一个古怪又热衷时髦的绅士！他住在一栋高大的房子里，酷爱各种高高的帽子，家里的天花板很高，大门也很高，墙上更是少不了成排的衣帽钩——还有，一辆他引以为豪的纯银色酷炫自行车——但没有脚踏板。有一天，他心血来潮去买了一辆汽车。 头一遭上路兜风就祸事连连，接连撞倒了戴先生和奈特太太——部分应归咎于幸福先生糟糕的开车技术。可这还只是一连串令人啼笑皆非的囧事的开始，他怎么也没想到会遇见三只拦路打劫的熊。
它们是：阿奇、泰迪、布鲁诺。这三只拦路打劫的熊，要论调皮捣蛋可是一把好手，而且还常常耍无赖搞些顺手牵羊。当然啦，它们本质并不坏，最后也吃到教训了。
幸福先生还养了一只萌宠——长颈兔。它有着长颈鹿的斑纹和脖子，还长着兔子的耳朵、身子和尾巴，被幸福先生偷偷养在园中——因为他不愿交纳饲养许可费，但最后还是被大家发现了，这还闹出了一场不大不小的风波。
【部分国外读者评论】
＊《幸福先生》是一本该和孩子一起读的书，如果你还没有孩子，那就抽出时间释放你内心的孩子吧。每一座花园里都该有一只长颈兔。
＊如果我要选一本图画本念给孩子听，我的首选会是托尔金！
＊这是一本该和孩子一起读的书，如果你还没有孩子，那就抽出时间释放你内心的孩子吧。每一座花园里都该有一只长颈兔。

*英国文豪、《霍比特人》作者托尔金经典亲子绘本故事
*萌娃多多的睡前枕边书，多爸黄磊带多多及小闺蜜共同翻译，导演赖声川悉心英文指导
*带给孩子所有属于圣诞的快乐、无邪与甜蜜，今年最好的亲子礼物
近100年前的圣诞节，一位父亲在壁炉旁，看着渴望听故事的孩子，冒出了一个想法，用圣诞老爸的口吻给他的孩子写信。这一写就是二十余年。第一封信带着亲手绘制的图画，和父亲精心挑选的礼物一起被放在圣诞袜里，来到了三岁的最大的孩子手中。从此，一个由满满父爱、纯真之心描绘的北极生活在孩子们心中发芽、生长……那个世界里有会说话的北极熊，有多才多艺的精灵。
近100年后，这本充满父爱的绘本，连同北极圣诞老爸的故事和图画，成为了中国小女孩多多的睡前枕边书。她的老爸黄磊，陪着她和她的小伙伴，一起将它翻译成中文，进入那个快乐无邪甜蜜的世界。更多的中国小朋友，能够在父爱的陪伴下，在心中种下纯真的种子，伴随他们成长一生。
每年十二月，托尔金家的孩子们会收到一个盖着北极邮戳的信封。信封里装着圣诞老爸写给孩子们的信，以及画给他们的画。每一封信都是圣诞老爸用冻得抖抖抖的手亲手写下画下的。孩子们超爱圣诞老爸在信里讲的故事——他在北极老家的朋友、房子，以及许多或滑稽或奇妙的事儿：驯鹿把缰绳扯断了，搞得礼物四散到处都是；爱唱反调的北极熊爬上了北极柱，却从圣诞老人的房顶摔进了他的客厅；北极熊还把月亮摔成了四瓣儿，让住在里面的人掉到了后花园里；还有他们与住在圣诞老爸屋底洞穴里的半兽人部落之间的“战争”……北极熊偶尔会潦草地留个便条，精灵伊尔贝斯有时也会用他优雅飘逸的笔迹写上一些北极生活的细节。
写信的圣诞老爸其实就是托尔金老爸自己。第一封信写于1920年，当时最大的孩子约翰只有三岁。圣诞老爸的来信一写就是22年，托尔金的几位孩子都曾为之深深着迷，给圣诞老爸回信交流。最期盼圣诞老爸来信的小儿子克里斯托弗•托尔金，至今仍在守护父亲创造的中洲传奇。
和孩子一起读这本书，一个由满满父爱、纯真之心描绘的圣诞老爸的无邪甜蜜北极童话在孩子们心中发芽、生长……

《精灵宝钻》是托尔金对中洲世界起源的设定，蕴含着他为英语民族塑造创世史诗的雄心，由小儿子克里斯托弗•托尔金在其身后整理出版。16幅全彩插画，译文全新修订，新增托尔金揭秘创作历程长文。
始有一如，“独一之神”，其名在世间称为伊露维塔。
精灵，一如的首生子女，生永世热爱星光，他们的美丽并不凋谢或者消逝。
人类，次生子女，一如赐给了他们决定自己命运的自由，还有一样奇特的礼物——死亡。随着时间流逝，连众神亦会嫉羡。
精灵宝钻，由最有天赋的精灵——费艾诺造出。宝钻蕴藏着曾在双圣树上的维林诺之光，那是尚无任何堕落发生的太初时代的最后孑遗。第一代黑暗魔君、堕落的魔苟斯盗走了它们。费艾诺众子发下亵渎神灵的誓言，执意离开家园，前去向大敌发动战争、复仇到底。他们蛊惑族人违背诸神，渡海出征。
同族相残，堕落由此开始……