Frodo's Wound

Book excerpt: Why do lovers of J.R.R. Tolkien's LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy return to it again and again through their lives? Why does each rereading seem more nourishing? FRODO'S WOUND is a collection of essays that approaches these questions from various angles. It argues that while epic conflict and heroic warriors may provide the initial allure to the book, what lingers and deepens with each reading is its emotional complexity, its knowledge of loss and grief, and its yearning for something only dimly understood. Uniquely, it is a study of Tolkien that barely mentions Christianity and assumes no broad knowledge of the mythological world of Middle-earth. Instead, the book offers a series of close readings that reveal Tolkien's subtlety and sensitivity, and does not shy away from probing the significance of his occasional clumsiness. FRODO'S WOUND shows why Tolkien is a great writer, and why THE LORD OF THE RINGS is really a book for older adults--indeed, for anyone who has ever lost their way.