About the Book

A commemorative golden anniversary edition of Tolkien’s classic book, including a new introduction, a map, a copy of Tolkien’s unpublished short story which he expanded for publication, his notes for an aborted sequel, and the original first edition illustrations by Pauline Baynes.

Farmer Giles of Ham did not look like a hero. He was fat and red-bearded and enjoyed a slow, comfortable life.

Then one day a rather deaf and short-sighted giant blundered on to his land. More by luck than skill, Farmer Giles managed to scare him away. The people of the village cheered: Farmer Giles was a hero.

His reputation spread far and wide across the kingdom. So it was natural that when the dragon Chrysophylax visited the area it was Farmer Giles who was expected to do battle with it!

Critical Praise

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Product Details

• ISBN: 9780007542932
• ISBN 10: 0007542933
• Imprint: HarperCollins
• On Sale: 02/27/2014
• Pages: 224
• List Price:14.99 CAD
• BISAC1 : FICTION / Fantasy / Epic
• BISAC2 : FICTION / Fantasy / Humorous
• BISAC3 : FICTION / Fantasy / Historical
• BISAC4 : YOUNG ADULT FICTION / Fantasy / Epic
• BISAC5 : FICTION / Fantasy / Dragons & Mythical Creatures

J. R. R. Tolkien

Biography

Humphrey Carpenter was born in Oxford in 1946. After reading English at Oxford, where Christopher Tolkien was one of his lecturers, he worked for some years for the BBC, and continued to broadcast after becoming a full-time writer in 1975. His biography of J.R.R. Tolkien was followed by The Inklings: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Williams and their friends, and his other biographies include those of Benjamin Britten, W.H. Auden, and Ezra Pound. He wrote for children, including the bestselling and televised Mr Majeika books and he wrote book and lyrics for a children’s musical based on The Hobbit, for an Oxford choir school where J.R.R. Tolkien and his wife Edith then saw it performed. He compiled, with his wife Mari Prichard, The Oxford Companion to Children’s Literature and followed that with Secret Gardens, a study of the golden age of children’s literature. He died in January 2005.

Other Works by J. R. R. Tolkien

• 

  The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien: Revised and Expanded edition

  By J. R. R. Tolkien

• 

  Letters from Father Christmas

  By J. R. R. Tolkien

• 

  The Hobbit: Illustrated by the Author

  By J. R. R. Tolkien

Pauline Baynes

Biography

Pauline Bayne’s work on the Chronicles spans almost fifty years.

Other Works by Pauline Baynes

• 

  The Chronicles of Narnia Official Coloring Book

  By Pauline Baynes

• 

  Smith of Wootton Major

  By Pauline Baynes

• 

  The Adventures of Tom Bombadil

  By Pauline Baynes