This books collects pictures by J.R.R. Tolkien "which were published in a series of six calendars from 1973 to 1979, with a gap in 1975," plus a few others by the prolific author and amateur artist. The focus, as you'd expect, is on the events and locales concerning Middle Earth. Often, his original art is on the left-hand side of the page and a colorized version (done later by another artist) is on the right. A paragraph explaining the picture accompanies each print. A volume very similar to this was published in 1979, with republished versions (with mild updates/changes) coming in 1992 and 2021, respectively. I have the 2021 version.
I enjoyed this short volume. With only 48 prints (many of which are presented twice, as described above), you'll get through it fast, but it is a tantalizing glimpse into what the author envisioned when he wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. While it is clear that art is not his forte, I was nevertheless impressed with the skill he did possess in this area. (Below is his view of Smaug, for example.) I also appreciated how subsequent artists (and Peter Jackson) held to the essence of what Tolkien envisioned when they produced the movies. If you're a Tolkien fan, you'll enjoy this.
Rating: A-
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