Which books should you definitely read?
I have selected some personal favourites as a starting point. Reviews have been edited.
If you have any books you feel I should be reading, please let me know!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3407108029
Despite being set largely in the world of death, this is one of the most life-affirming books I have read. It is full of laughter, generosity, and warmth of spirit. It renders the ordinary and mundane in language that speaks with simple yet poetic eloquence.
Sometimes, when a book is translated from its original language, it loses some of its meaning and atmosphere. Not so here. The translation perfectly renders the story.
This is a wonderful book and I cannot recommend it enough.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3383496885
This is a wonderful and meticulously researched book, in which John Garth traces the connections between places that inspired JRR Tolkien and where they turned up in his writing.
I took my time with this book. It is not to be glossed over in one or two sittings but should be used as a point of reference to complement and illuminate Tolkien’s writings.
If you buy one book this year to grace your coffee table, then you need look no further. This beautifully presented and illustrated book is one that I have personally added to my collection.
The Kindle Bookworm 