A Book by J.R.R. Tolkien Published After a Century

A new book by J.R.R. Tolkien, written a century ago, was published on Thursday, June 1. The title of the book is 'Beren and Lúthien,' and the horrific events of World War I, which the author witnessed, inspired parts of this story. According to Reuters, this book was edited by Christopher Tolkien, the late author's son, and features two main characters, one human and the other an elf, borrowed from the imaginary realm of 'Middle-earth' that he created in his stories. The focus of the story is on a series of perilous exploratory journeys and forbidden love, which, according to HarperCollins, the book's publisher, is actually a summary of a longer novel that J.R.R. Tolkien had rewritten and expanded several times. John Garth, a researcher of J.R.R. Tolkien's works, stated in an interview with BBC News that this book, written after the author returned from the battlefields of World War I in France, is essentially a form of 'exorcism' of his bitter experiences in the war. The illustrations and designs in the book are by Alan Lee, who won an Oscar for the film adaptation of 'The Lord of the Rings' directed by Peter Jackson. The 'Lord of the Rings' book series has sold over 150 million copies worldwide, and the total revenue from the film adaptations has exceeded one billion dollars. J.R.R. Tolkien passed away in 1973 at the age of 81.