The Epic History of The Lord of the Rings Los Angeles Times Edition

IN 1967, coverage turned widespread. One paper noted, “More and more readers are getting the J.R.R. Tolkien habit.” Another called the trilogy “a book for the adult market at an adult price” with “minimal romantic interest.” Its success was unexpected. It contained verse, appendices, and invented languages. Yet it spread. “It has all the marks of a publishing disaster, but it worked,” a journalist observed.

STEP into the story of Middle-earth with a book of authentic newspaper articles, curated by Historic Newspapers. This edition charts the cultural journey of J.R.R. Tolkien’s works — exactly as they were reported at the time. 

Relive moments, including:

– The very first review of The Hobbit in 1937
– Reviews of The Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion
– The bold 1978 animated adaptation of The Lord of the Rings by Ralph Bakshi
– Peter Jackson’s groundbreaking film trilogy in the early 2000s
– The arrival of Amazon’s The Rings of Power series

Choose from a range of book covers and personalize your copy with a name and message to create a unique keepsake. Whether for a lifelong Tolkien fan, a Lord of The Rings enthusiast, or someone who remembers the films first-hand — you hold not just a gift, but a piece of Middle-earth history ready to be treasured.

Archivist insight: We reproduce these newspaper articles from scan archives. In some cases, there’ll be blemishes and the reproduction quality might not be as clear or precise as it was in the original paper.