Smith of Wootton Major: J R R Tolkien: 9780007202478: Amazon.com: Books
Customers say
Customers enjoy the poetic and imaginative stories in this collection. They find them simple on the surface but surprising in depth. The stories encourage creativity and thinking skills while helping readers rediscover the world of Faerie.
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11 customers mention "Story quality"11 positive0 negative
Customers enjoy the story quality. They find it a nice poetic story that never gets tired of reading. Some of their favorite stories are the short stories, which are simple on the surface but joyfully surprising in depth. The stories provide an innocently inviting way into the wild and sometimes dangerous world.
"This is one of my favorite Tolkien books. It is a wonderful tale of adventure and creativity that's waiting deep inside us...." Read more
"...Such a nice poetic story! I never get tired of reading it! The characters are really well developed!" Read more
"This was a great short story that helped me rediscover the world of Faery and understand the importance of sharing it with my children...." Read more
"...& ink illustrations by Pauline Baynes provide an innocently inviting way into a wild, and sometimes dangerous, world view that both author and..." Read more
4 customers mention "Creativity"4 positive0 negative
Customers enjoy the book's creativity. They find it a wonderful tale that helps children develop morality and thinking skills through a wonderful story. The book is described as simple yet thoughtful, and it helped them rediscover the world of Faery.
"...It is a wonderful tale of adventure and creativity that's waiting deep inside us...." Read more
"This was a great short story that helped me rediscover the world of Faery and understand the importance of sharing it with my children...." Read more
"great book for children good morality and thinking skills with a wonderful story" Read more
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Top reviews from the United States
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5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorite short Tolkien books
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2019
This is one of my favorite Tolkien books. It is a wonderful tale of adventure and creativity that's waiting deep inside us. Of course, in the story it is "set free" by a specific gift at a birthday party. In the past I've used that story (as a piano teacher) to share an abbreviated version for a beginning piano student, telling him/her that ..."When you learn a piece of music that you love", I'll help you learn how to memorize it. When you have a favorite piece of music memorized, it's yours for life. You can play it without having the printed copy of the music with you." That's what I did as a child and teenager. ... Oh, and I'd put an extra star on the page of whatever music they memorized. For younger students, I'd put one symbolically on his/her forehead -- just like in the story. Being creative is a wonderful thing, regardless of our age.
9 people found this helpful
Report5.0 out of 5 stars I love this book!
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2022
What an amazing book! I really love Tolkien's earlier work ( as well as the lord of the rings) I actually own a paper copy and a kindle copy too! Such a nice poetic story! I never get tired of reading it! The characters are really well developed!
One person found this helpful
Report4.0 out of 5 stars A faery story
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2022
This is the fourth tale in Tales from the Perilous Realm, and this is the only other story I had not read prior. I have to say I’m not sure how I feel about it, but like the others, I’m sure I’d like it more a second time.
This was one of Tolkien’s tales trying to explain the meaning of faery, or at least whatever that meant to him. It was apparently supposed to be part of a preface he was writing for George MacDonald’s ‘The Golden Key’, but became its own thing. (I’m no expert, I looked it up)
Other than his usual and original use of the term Faery, this is not linked to his middle-earth legendarium, and in my opinion, has more of the lighthearted silliness of the other novellas in it. A great cook and his apprentice (referred to as ‘prentice) make a great cake filled with 24 trinkets and coins for the children. However, this year they include a 25th item, a star from faery. The smith’s son swallows it, later spitting it out and affixing it to his forehead. This serves almost like a blessing from the faeries, and he is blessed with skills and personality.
This one was not really my favorite, I was a bit confused at points, which isn’t unusual for Tolkien, but it was short, so I thought it’d be easy going. Maybe it’d be an easier read than a listen. Personally a 4/5* for me.
2 people found this helpful
Report5.0 out of 5 stars Let Yourself Rediscover Faery
Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2021
This was a great short story that helped me rediscover the world of Faery and understand the importance of sharing it with my children. Recommend for all who have lost their magic.
One person found this helpful
Report5.0 out of 5 stars Deceptively simple on the surface, but joyfully surprising in depth.
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2015
Though this short piece of fiction by J.R.R. Tolkien may seem overly simple on the surface compared to his epic work centered on Middle-Earth, this wonderful little story touches upon all the major themes addressed in his lecture "On Fairy-Stories" in an engaging and creative way. The pen & ink illustrations by Pauline Baynes provide an innocently inviting way into a wild, and sometimes dangerous, world view that both author and artist leave to your own imagination to complete and become real.
11 people found this helpful
Report5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2017
A delightful work that I have read many times. This edition is very interesting with the inclusion of all of Pauline Baynes' illustrations. A simple but thoughtful work.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries
5.0 out of 5 stars Hard to find version showed up in pristine condition
Reviewed in Canada on November 17, 2021
My daughter has wanted this book for ages
5.0 out of 5 stars great book
Reviewed in Italy on October 13, 2022
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4.0 out of 5 stars Maravillosa obra. Regular el envio
Reviewed in Spain on July 19, 2017
Es una obra maravillosa en una preciosa edicion. Si le pongo 4 estrellas es unicamente porque en el libro enviado venia una pegatina en la cubierta que al quitarla levantó un poco del dibujo.
5.0 out of 5 stars The wild adventures of discovering happiness in unexpected places
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 5, 2016
Another one of Tolkien's non-Middle Earth stories, which further proves that LOTR doesn't hold a monopoly on this fine writer. It's also an example of his skill in re-designing the scenarios of ancient pagan mythology around Christian themes -- a skill shared by C.S.Lewis, George McDonald, Oscar Wild and others.
The first thing that gives away Tolkien's spiritual orientation is the history of the old master cook: After his holiday, "...when he came back some months later he seemed rather changed. He had been a kind man who liked to see other people enjoying themselves, but he was himself serious, and said very little. Now he was merrier, and often said and did most laughable things; and at feasts he would himself sing gay songs, which was not expected of Master Cooks..." I, and I'm sure others would find this reminiscent of the born-again experience, or the infilling of the Holy Spirit. In Tolkien's re-adapted pagan scenario, it was a trip to the land of Faery -- reinterpreted, of course, according to Tolkien's belief and experience. Other elements of the story include characters who are much more than they first appear to be, as though one is "entertaining angels unawares", and the lessons in kindness, generosity and the blessing that comes from releasing something one holds dear.
We know the main character only as Smith or "Starbrow". Only the fairies call him Starbrow, because of a star that has become embedded in his forehead, but he's Smith to us, as that's the trade he learns from his father. It isn't an adventure story; we don't read of him fighting dragons or uncovering hidden hoards. He's just himself, and the only treasure we find is that of other people. Of all the wonderful and ingenious things he forges as a smith, he never even creates a sword or an arrowhead. The only adventures are those of discovery, and happiness found in unexpected places, and the most evil villain in the story is a bigoted old man who can't see past his nose. A rather nice story, I think...
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5.0 out of 5 stars 著者の最後の作品と中つ国の関連性
Reviewed in Japan on October 14, 2005
トールキンの小品の中で、この作品が唯一『指輪物語』の後に書かれ
た妖精物語であり、生前に出版された最後の作品で1930年代にモチーフ
の出来上がった諸作品とは明らかに異なった要素を含んでいる。
本書は出版当時の原著を忠実に再録すると共に、完成に至るまでの草
稿と設定を網羅し、著者が『金の鍵』の序文からいかに脱して一つの作
品を作り上げたか、また本著における妖精の国の位置づけが著者の意図
ではどうであったかが分かる。
この作品が中つ国と地続きであり、『失われた道』を辿った人間の存
在が描かれていると解釈する事も出来る。また「名付け」に対する著者
の相変わらずのこだわりも面白い。邦語訳を読んだ時に抱いた疑問がこ
の本のお陰で解決しました。