Books like Tolkien's Worlds by John Garth

An exhaustive cartographic guide to Tolkien’s Middle‑Earth, presenting updated maps, diagrams, and explanatory text that trace the world from its ancient origins through the Third Age.

The Return of the Shadow is the first volume of Christopher Tolkien's The History of the Lord of the Rings, detailing the early development of The Fellowship of the Ring from initial drafts to the narrative’s end in the first volume.

A scholarly study of how Tolkien’s mythology evolved alongside his life and the cultural contexts of the 20th century, encompassing his entire legendarium beyond the well‑known works.

"The Road to Middle-earth, Tom Shippey's classic work, now revised and expanded in paperback explores J.R.R. Tolkien's creativity and the sources of his inspiration. Shippey shows in detail how Tolkien's professional background led him to write The Hobbit and create a timeless charm for millions of readers. He argues convincingly that the source of Tolkien's inspiration lay not just in his love of fable but in his love of language. While examining the foundations and literary structures of Tolkien's most popular work, The Lord of the Rings, in rich detail, Shippey also discusses the contribution of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales to Tolkien's great myth cycle, showing how the more "difficult" books can be fully appreciated. He goes on to examine the remarkable twelve-volume History of Middle-earth, written by Tolkien's son and literary heir Christopher Tolkien, which traces the creative and technical processes by which Middle-earth evolved."--Jacket.