' Even the smallest person can change the course of the future' The prophetic words of Galadriel addressed to Frodo as he prepared to travel from Lothlorien to Mordor to destroy the One Ring are just as pertinent to J R R Tolkien's own fiction For decades hobbits & the other fantastical creatures of Middle-earth have captured the imaginations of a fiercely loyal tribe of readers all enhanced by the immense success of Peter Jackson's films first ' The Lord of the Rings' & now his new ' The Hobbit' But for all Tolkien's global fame & the familiarity of modern culture with Gandalf Bilbo Frodo & Sam the sources of the great mythmaker's own myth-making have been neglected Mark Atherton here explores the chief influences on Tolkien's work his boyhood in the West Midlands; the landscapes & seascapes which shaped his mythologies; his experiences in World War I; his interest in Scandinavian myth; his friendships especially with the other Oxford-based Inklings; & the relevance of his themes especially ecological themes to the present-day There & Back Again offers a unique guide to the varied inspirations behind Tolkien's life & work & sheds new light on how a legend is born