The Nature of Middle Earth

The Nature of Middle Earth is a collection of J.R.R. Tolkien's works, published posthumously and edited by Carl F. Hostetter.

It also features some unpublished writings post-Lord of the Rings, and taps into the time and space of Middle Earth, lifestyles, free will, elvish reincarnation, and how they are related to his mythology.

Contents

• Foreword
• Editorial Practices
• Abbreviations and Conventions

Part One: Time and Ageing

• Introduction
• The Valian Year
• Valinorian Time-Divisions
• Of Time in Arda
• Time-scales
• Natural Youth and Growth of the Quendi
• The Awaking of the Quendi
• The March of the Quendi
• Eldarin Traditions Concerning the "Awakening"
• Time-scales and Rates of Growth
• Difficulties in Chronology
• Ageing of Elves
• Concerning the Quendi in their Mode of Life and Growth
• Key Dates
• Calculation of the Increase of the Quendi
• A Generational Scheme
• Note on the Youth and Growth of the Quendi
• Generational Schemes
• Elvish Ages and Reincarnation
• Elvish Life-cycles
• Time and its Perception
• Notes on Elvish Time-reference
• A Fragment from The Annals of Aman
• A Fragment from The Grey Annals

Part Two: Body, Mind and Spirit

• Introduction
• Beauty and Goodness
• Gender and Sex
• Eldarin Hands, Fingers, and Numerals
• Hair
• Beards
• Descriptions of Characters
• Mind-pictures
• Knowledge and Memory
• ósanwe-kenta
• Notes on órë
• Fate and Free Will
• The Knowledge of the Valar
• Spirit
• The Visible Forms of the Valar and Maiar
• Elvish Reincarnation
• From The Statute of Finwë and Míriel
• Death

Part Three: The World, Its Lands, and Its Inhabitants

• Introduction
• Dark and Light
• The Primal Impulse
• Powers of the Valar
• The Making of Lembas
• Note on Elvish Economy
• Dwellings in Middle-earth
• The Founding of Nargothrond
• Manwë's Ban
• Elvish Journeys on Horseback
• Rider to "The White Rider"
• Lives of the Númenóreans
• The Ageing of Númenóreans
• Of the Land and Beasts of Númenor
• Note on the Consumption of Mushrooms
• The Númenorean Catastrophe & End of "Physical" Aman
• Galadriel and Celeborn
• Silvan Elves and Silvan Elvish
• Note on the Delay of Gil-galad and the Númenóreans
• Note on Dwarvish Voices
• Note on the Dwarf Road
• From The Hunt for the Ring
• The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor

Appendices

• Metaphysical and Theological Themes
• Glossary and Index of Quenya Terms
• Index