The Adventures of Tom Bombadil (J.R.R. Tolkien)

The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, published in 1962, is a collection of sixteen poems supposedly from the Hobbits' Red Book, which Tolkien describes as containing "a large number of verses . . . [many of which] are found on loose leaves, while some are written carelessly in margins and blank spaces."  This "present selection is taken from the older pieces, mainly concerned with legends and jests of the Shire and the end of the Third Age, that appear to have been made by Hobbits, especially by Bilbo and his friends, or their immediate descendants. Their authorship is, however, seldom indicated . . . and were probably written down from oral tradition." 

Of the sixteen poems, the first two star the merry fellow himself. The others have a tenuous link to Middle Earth (often variants of poems Tolkien did years prior) and are more akin to folklore or nursery rhymes. Several are mentioned (or partly quoted) in The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings.

The original publication occurs from pp. 33-118 (with the original illustrations by Pauline Baynes); a hearty introduction (pp. 7-30) precedes and lengthy commentary (pp. 119-274) follows. The commentary is a summarized history or analysis of each poem and often presents earlier versions of them.

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I enjoyed this collection. I would have liked a more obvious focus on/tie to Middle Earth, but Tolkien is a talented poet. He is well-versed in various meters and styles, and some of his rhymes are impressively intricate. A fun read.

Rating: B+