A Sense of Tales Untold: Exploring the Edges of Tolkien's Literary Canvas

A Sense of Tales Untold explores the uncanny perception of depth in Tolkien's writing and world-building, highlighting his restraint and ability to create a sense of depth through implied and referenced untold tales. The book identifies Tolkien's principal sources of inspiration and contemporaries, summarizes theories and practices of the literary impression of depth, and offers close readings of key untold tales in context. It engages with urgent questions about interpretation, adaptation, and authorial control, giving both general readers and specialists a fresh look at the source material of the ongoing Tolkien phenomenon.

Format: Hardback
Length: 260 pages
Publication date: 23 November 2021
Publisher: Kent State University Press

A Sense of Tales Untold delves into the enigmatic realm of depth perception in J.R.R. Tolkien's writing and world-building. This captivating exploration examines the boundaries between the story and the un-story, as well as the spaces between vast ages and minuscule time periods. Peter Grybauskas, in his book, argues that the untold tales that are hinted at or referenced in Tolkien's text are crucial to his remarkable achievement in world-building. Contrary to the prevalent but largely unfounded notion that Tolkien was a writer of bloated prose, A Sense of Tales Untold emphasizes his remarkable restraint and ability to wield the pen with great effect.

The book begins by identifying some of Tolkien's primary sources of inspiration and his contemporaries. It then summarizes theories and practices related to the literary impression of depth. The subsequent chapters present close readings of key untold tales in their respective contexts, ranging from the shadowy legends at the margins of The Lord of the Rings to the intricate nexus of tales concerning Túrin Turambar, the great tragic hero of the Elder Days. Throughout his frequent retellings of the Túrin legend, Tolkien found a lifelong playground for experimentation with untold stories.

A story must be told, or there will be no story, as Tolkien famously wrote to his son during the composition of The Lord of the Rings. However, it is the untold stories that hold the most profound emotional resonance, cutting straight to the heart of the tension between storytelling and world-building that animates Tolkien's work. Grybauskas highlights this tension by exploring the spectrum of untold tales, from the simplest form of omission to vast and intricate webs of allusions.

A Sense of Tales Untold engages with urgent questions about interpretation, adaptation, and authorial control, offering both general readers and specialists a fresh perspective on Tolkien's masterpiece. By delving into the margins of Tolkien's work, this book sheds light on the untold tales that enrich his world-building and contribute to his enduring legacy in the realm of fantasy literature.

Weight: 392g
Dimension: 235 x 157 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781606354308