<DIV>The painstakingly crafted world that J.R.R. Tolkien created for <i>The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, </i>and <i>The Silmarillion </i>is so vivid that it’s easy to briefly imagine Middle-earth as a real place—even Tolkien himself had said it existed somewhere on Earth. From the languages spoken and the creatures that peopled it to the wars and cosmology, the richly imagined Middle-earth has left many artists and fans worldwide imagining what it would look and feel like to inhabit such a wildly inspired world. Tolkien left out no details in his picture so it is no surprise that Middle-earth has inspired such inventiveness in turn.</div><DIV> </div><DIV><i>Middle-earth Envisioned </i>is the first book to explore the artistic legacy left by Tolkien’s world. Paintings, drawings, theatrical performances, radio serials, and films inspired by <i>The Hobbit </i>and <i>The Lord of the Rings </i>are all discussed in a manner that further illuminates the brilliance of Tolkien’s creation. Readers will discover details surrounding an attempted Beatles live-action version (with Paul McCartney as Frodo Baggins), a nearly four-hour Canadian musical, the West End stage production of <i>Lord of the Rings</i>, and of course, the Peter Jackson films—including the <i>Hobbit </i>trilogy—and much more. In this beautifully illustrated gift book, discover the richness of Middle-earth anew, through the works of the artists inspired by it.</div><DIV> </div><DIV>From <i>NYT</i> bestselling author Brian J. Robb and Paul Simpson, TV guide writer/reporter and the former editor of the Star Trek magazine.</div>