A new book of Middle-earth essays by J.R.R. Tolkien is coming

J.R.R. Tolkien continued writing about Middle-earth right up until his death, and much of his work still hasn’t been seen. That’ll change soon.

Most people know J.R.R. Tolkien as the author of epic fantasy works set in Middle-earth, most famously The Silmarillion, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. But he wrote a lot more about this imagined world, with HarperCollins publishing many of his other stories over the years. These include the The Children of Hurin, Beren and Lúthien and The Fall of Gondolin.

And as-yet-unseen works are still coming. In 2021, HarperCollins will add The Nature of Middle-earth to its catalog, featuring a collection of previously unseen essays by the author.

Tolkien continued to build and develop the lore and history of Middle-earth right until his death in 1973. After that, the torch was picked up by his son Christopher, who passed away earlier this year at the age of 95. All of the more recent Middle-earth books have been published with the approval of Tolkien’s estate, including this one.

According to The Guardian, the new book will contain writing from Tolkien on subjects like Elvish immortality and the geography of Númenor and Gondor. And it will answer a question that’s weighed on fans’ minds for decades: which races could grow beards?

Chris Smith, a deputy publishing director for HarperCollins, explained what the new book brings to the table. “For him, Middle-earth was part of an entire world to be explored, and the writings in The Nature of Middle-earth reveal the journeys that he took as he sought to better understand his unique creation.” He also teases that this upcoming collection is “a veritable treasure trove offering readers a chance to peer over Professor Tolkien’s shoulder at the very moment of discovery: and on every page, Middle-earth is once again brought to extraordinary life.”

Who doesn’t want more writing from the influential fantasy author or all time? The Nature of Middle-earth was edited by NASA computer engineer and head of the Elvish Linguistic Fellowship Carl F. Hofstetter, who also co-editing Tolkien’s Legendarium: Essays on The History of Middle-earth. It doesn’t have a confirmed release date but is expected to drop in June 2021.

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