If YOUR'RE READING TOLKIEN You'll NEED THIS 

I have the leather-bound Easton Press version of this book. It would have been difficult to follow the Silmarillion without it. Correction: the version I have is The Atlas of Middle Earth by Karen Wynn Fonstad.

I was referencing maps using the atlas by Fonstad. It had alot of detail and was a great companion. But this set has beautiful artwork.

Well done. Looking forward to your review of The Atlas of Middle Earth by Karen Wynn Fonstad.

I received this boxset as a Christmas gift from my parents shortly after the Peter Jackson films came out (which began my life-long Tolkien obsession). I still have it, and in very nice condition-- though, I still want to have the maps properly framed to hang in my library someday: they are absolutely gorgeous. I read the Silmarillion for the first time ever shortly after receiving this set, and it was incredibly helpful and enhancing to my reading experience to have this big, beautiful map of Beleriand sprawled out in front of me as I read. I especially love the map of Wilderland from the Hobbit: it's a less detailed map, which allowed John Howe to go ham with illustrations; I also always loved the diorama-like perspective of that particular map. Edit to add: the accompanying book also happens to contain probably my all-time favorite John Howe illustration; it's called "Descent to Rivendell" and there's also a cropped version of it on the book's front cover. I don't know why I love that illustration so much-- I just find it so evocative of Tolkien's world (the rich and ancient lore, the mystery, the longing and nostalgia for ages gone) and everything I love about escaping to that world.

I do like the look of this as a collectors piece and the artwork is stunning. However, I have my reservations about using these maps as a reference when reading the books, partly due to their size (I'm not sure I would necessarily have space to have a map of this size spread out next to me all the time while I'm reading and I wouldn't want to have to keep unfolding and refolding it every time I need to check something) and partly due to the fact that they don't seem to provide any more detail than the maps already included in the books - which I've always found to be perfectly adequate as a general reference. However, I'm glad you mentioned Karen Wynn Fonstad's Atlas. Having recently purchased it myself, as I've been re-reading the Lord of the Rings I've found it's added hugely to my ability to get my heead around some of the more detailed aspects of the geography, and it's a convenient size to have next to me when I'm reading. As an aside, one thing I keep finding in relation to the maps and geographyof Middle Earth in general is that for some reason when I'm reading descriptions of landscapes and journeys in the books I always tend to imagine them on a much smaller scale than they are shown to actually be when referring to one of the maps. For example, when Frodo and Sam are at the Isenmouthe inside Mordor it describes how they look over the plain of Gorgoroth towards Mount Doom and the Barad-Dur. In the picture that forms in my minds eye they are only a few miles away - perhaps a few hours walk - but the maps shows they are actually still 50-60 miles (and several days walk) away! This sort of thing happens frequently despite my best attempts! Perhaps it is something to do with living in the UK where even the most dramatic and wild landscapes are usually on quite a small scale...

These are more like beautiful giant posters than real maps. I prefer Atlas of Middle-earth book or perhaps even more Journeys of Frodo by Barbara Strachey.

I think Maps are one of the reasons why Nerd of the Rings succeeded so fast on RU-vid. So many new fans could not crack the Silmarillion, however, when they watch him it is all visualised.

I actually wanted to get these books, too, mainly because I tend to be a "completionist" but I actually dislike the map design a lot. But it's nice you and others love it so much!

i am currently reading the atlas of middle earth revised edition (hard to find apparently), beautiful thing although i noticed a couple of errors

I've had two of the maps laminated, Beleriand and Middle - Earth, hanging on my walls for years now. I got them in the paperback editions, each a separate product with the same text as the one you showed. These are hard to find now so I am so glad I purchased them when I did! For an overall accompaniment to the books, Karen Wynn Fonstad's Atlas of Middle - Earth is an essential part of any serious study of the Legendarium as is The Complete Tolkien Companion by J.E.A.Tyler. I would also add David Day's 6 book series as well. Looking forward to the tour of your bookshelves James and your continued series of videos on the professor's works!

Another great video, thanks James! I was wondering if you planned to do a video on "The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún" (noticed your copy of it over your left shoulder in this video, and can't recall a video by you on it)?

I have it too. John Howe is my favorite out of the famous trio of illustrators. I would really appreciate if Harpercollins UK could publish a 12 volumes hardback versions of Howe's paperback frontcover editions.

Nice, but too big to be a practical reference while reading. What I'd really like is a set of 12x9 laminated card stock maps! The Atlas book of maps is great however!

Well Said! This is one of my Favorite Maps of all time. I have had it on my wall for 10+ years. :D

Great video! This was very helpful. It's much easier to grasp how big these maps are when presented that way. After watching this, I want to place an order for this "book" immediately! 😁

Beautiful set! I always have a copy of the atlas of middle-earth as well as the complete guide to middle-earth out as a reference while I am reading, but I might have to grab a copy of this as well for additional reference (Also to add to the beauty of my collection. Just like Bilbo, I am a sucker for maps!)

In my judgement this Atlas seems to be head and shoulders above the maps you talked about in this video. So I'm looking forward to watching you discuss that particular book.

This book looks amazing❤

This video created a hole in my pocket. I look forward to the (detailed) review of the Atlas.

i have the fonstad book, which is awesome, very fun to look thru the maps as you're reading. But the binding was genuinely "someone needs to get fired" bad. I'm not complaining about paper and glue on a $30 book but it 100% needed the kind of binding that road atlas' use (back when they where a thing). Still cheap but it was bound in a way to allow for pages to be opened flat so maps that were drawn across 2 pages would be able to be viewed fully.

This is getting a new edition in April 2024. It will be a single hardback volume with loose maps and no slipcase.

i think it must be out of print, cant find it anywhere :( if you dont mind me asking, why do you have 2 copies of The Fall of Gondolin behind you ?

Interesting, I might pick these up to cover my wall. But while we're talking about maps, you teased Fonstad's Atlas at the end and I got a question about it if you don't mind spoiling the your future video a little bit. From what I could gather online, it was first published somewhere in the 90's but got revised a few times to correct some inaccuracies. If I'm not mistaken, you're holding up the 2017 Harper Collins edition, correct? Can you tell me if that edition is the final corrected (most accurate) one? I've seen conflicting takes online about this so I figured it best to consult your expert opinion. Book Depository is closing down in a week and I'm frantically picking up anything Tolkien-related while I still can. Thanks in advance!

But Tolkien lied. Reading The History of Middle-earth makes it blatantly obvious that he didn't begin with a map and made the story fit. When he began writing Fellowship there was no map showing anything south of the map in the Hobbit. The map was drawn and edited as he wrote, with distances changing and places moving as he wrote - Christopher Tolkien goes to great pains to document this in the HoME books.

you should make book reading vlogs aswell

I just bought a 3rd party middle earth map while for beleriand and numenor, I had to draw it by hand on canvas paper. Afterwards I stuck it on the wall beside the chair where I read for ease of glancing. I find it annoying having to flip through the back or front of the book every now and then just to look at the map. This would have been nice for me but I think taking the map and sticking it on the wall, as I have, is such a waste of everything else that is included in thr package.

Where did you purchase your copy of this book?

Hi - could you recommend another resource - not as large?

Why do a video about a book that is no longer widely available for people to purchase.

No all you need is the books