Two books have come out recently that are excellent complements to delving into the great series of books written by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, beloved the world over as the creator of Middle-earth.

FORBES: "In a Hole in the Ground There Lived a Hobbit": Books for Bilbo's Screen Appearance!

Concerned that England lacked a set of myths comparable to, say, the Norse legends, he created the fantasy realm of Middle-earth, home to a jumble of orcs, elves, wizards and hobbits.

ECONOMIST: A new biography illuminates Tolkien, the creator

In popular imagination, New Zealand has become the home of dwarves, elves, dragons and 4ft-tall hairy-footed Hobbit burglars since director Sir Peter Jackson used his homeland as the backdrop for his version of Middle Earth in the Academy-Award winning film series.

BBC: In Alpine villages, Hobbits lurk