Thomas Alan Shippey (born 9 September 1943) is a scholar of medieval literature, including that of Anglo-Saxon England, and of modern fantasy and science fiction, in particular the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, about whom he has written several scholarly studies. He is widely considered one of the leading academic scholars on Tolkien. Shippey retired from the Walter J. Ong Chair of Humanities at Saint Louis University's College of Arts and Sciences ...
more
Thomas Alan Shippey (born 9 September 1943) is a scholar of medieval literature, including that of Anglo-Saxon England, and of modern fantasy and science fiction, in particular the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, about whom he has written several scholarly studies. He is widely considered one of the leading academic scholars on Tolkien. Shippey retired from the Walter J. Ong Chair of Humanities at Saint Louis University's College of Arts and Sciences in 2008. He will be the Guest of Honor at the German Tolkien society's Tolkien Thing, July 24-26 2009, Burg Rieneck, Germany. (www.tolkiengesellschaft.de)
His work and life cross paths in many ways with that of Tolkien; like Tolkien, he attended King Edward's School, Birmingham in Birmingham and taught Old English at Oxford University. He occupied Tolkien's former chair at the University of Leeds.
In addition to writing books of his own, he has edited both The Oxford Book of Science Fiction Stories, and The Oxford Book of Fantasy Stories. As...
less