Smith of Wootton Major, (Paperback)

<p><b><i>Smith of Wootton Major </i>is one of J.R.R. Tolkien's major pieces of short fiction and his only finished work dating from after the publication of <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>.</b></p><p>What began as a preface to "The Golden Key" by George MacDonald eventually grew into this charming novella, so named by Tolkien to suggest an early work by P. G. Wodehouse. Composed almost a decade after <i>The Lord of the Rings, </i> and when his lifelong occupation with <i>The Silmarillion</i> was winding down, <i>Smith of Wootton Major </i>was the product of ripened experience and reflection. It was published in 1967 as a small hardcover, complete with charming black and white illustrations by Pauline Baynes, and would be the last work of fiction to be published in Tolkien's own lifetime.<br>This enchanting tale of a wanderer who finds his way into the perilous realm of Faery is being published once again in paperback. Contained here are many intriguing links to the world of Middle-earth, as well as to Tolkien's other tales, and this new edition is enhanced with a facsimile of the illustrated first edition, a manuscript of Tolkien's early draft of the story, notes and an alternate ending, and a lengthy essay on the nature of Faery.</p>

• Smith of Wootton Major, (Paperback)
• Author: J R R Tolkien
• ISBN: 9780063580138
• Format: Paperback
• Publication Date: 2026-08-18
• Page Count: 224