This is a nice selection of Tolkien's writings - and Peter Beagle's introduction to the joys of Middle Earth. Samples of his scholarly work, including the brilliant On Fairy Stories show his thoughtful, penetrating, and sometimes playful, critical mind at work, as does his comparison of the Maldon poem fragment with Beowulf, analaysing the nature and limitations of chivalric ideals. Two of his own fairy stories - the extremely odd and curious Leaf By Niggle, and the more straightforward, albeit with typically Tolkeinesque humble settled folk of limited ambitions as hero, Farmer Giles Of Ham and lots of hobbity poetry, much of it featuring Tom Bombadil which is the sort of thing you will certainly like if you certainly like that sort of thing. I picked this up for Tolkien reading day having merely leafed idly through it over the years it's been sitting on our shelves, and a real pleasure it's been.