Rather than a mammoth life and times, In Search of Tolkien gives what this literary giant's legacy needs: a shorter, more provocative and more suggestive account of his life and work which explores hidden corners and previously unseen trails. Obliquely executed and determined to bring us back to the books that are deeply loved and respected across the globe, it heads towards the heart of a writer who has managed to acquire an extraordinary international reputation.

Indeed, Tolkien's many admirers have never been allowed to find out very much about him—that is, until now.