The title "Red Book" refers to The Red Book of Westmarch, a sort of collection of writings and other information set down by hobbits in five volumes.
"This account of the end of the Third Age is drawn mainly from the Red Book of Westmarch. That most important source for the history of the War of the Ring was so called because it was long preserved at Undertowers, the home of the Fairbairns, Wardens of the Westmarch. It was in origin Bilbo's private diary, which he took with him to Rivendell. Frodo brought it back to the Shire, together with many loose leaves of notes, and during S.R. 1420-1 he nearly filled its pages with his account of the War. But annexed to it and preserved with it, probably in a single case, were the three large volumes, bound in red leather, that Bilbo gave to him as a parting gift. To these four volumes there was added in Westmarch a fifth containing commentaries, genealogies, and various other matter concerning the hobbit members of the Fellowship.
The original Red Book has not been preserved, but many copies were made, especially of the first volume, for the use of the descendants of the children of Master Samwise. The most important copy, however, has a different history. It was kept at Great Smials, but it was written in Gondor, probably at the request of the great-grandson of Peregrin, and completed in S.R. 1592 (F.A 172). Its southern scribe appended this note: Findegil, King's Writer, finished this work in IV 172. It is an exact copy in all details of the Thain's Book in Minas Tirith. That book was a copy, made at the request of King Elessar, of the Red Book of the Periannat, and was brought to him by the Thain Peregrin when he retired to Gondor in IV 64.
The Thain's Book was thus the first copy made of the Red Book and contained much that was later omitted or lost."
~Prologue to the Lord of the Rings: note on the shire records
"This account of the end of the Third Age is drawn mainly from the Red Book of Westmarch. That most important source for the history of the War of the Ring was so called because it was long preserved at Undertowers, the home of the Fairbairns, Wardens of the Westmarch. It was in origin Bilbo's private diary, which he took with him to Rivendell. Frodo brought it back to the Shire, together with many loose leaves of notes, and during S.R. 1420-1 he nearly filled its pages with his account of the War. But annexed to it and preserved with it, probably in a single case, were the three large volumes, bound in red leather, that Bilbo gave to him as a parting gift. To these four volumes there was added in Westmarch a fifth containing commentaries, genealogies, and various other matter concerning the hobbit members of the Fellowship.
The original Red Book has not been preserved, but many copies were made, especially of the first volume, for the use of the descendants of the children of Master Samwise. The most important copy, however, has a different history. It was kept at Great Smials, but it was written in Gondor, probably at the request of the great-grandson of Peregrin, and completed in S.R. 1592 (F.A 172). Its southern scribe appended this note: Findegil, King's Writer, finished this work in IV 172. It is an exact copy in all details of the Thain's Book in Minas Tirith. That book was a copy, made at the request of King Elessar, of the Red Book of the Periannat, and was brought to him by the Thain Peregrin when he retired to Gondor in IV 64.
The Thain's Book was thus the first copy made of the Red Book and contained much that was later omitted or lost."
~Prologue to the Lord of the Rings: note on the shire records
This site isn't just about LOTR, or the Hobbit, or the Silmarillion, it's about Tolkien and Middle Earth. The Red Book seemed the most appropriate title.
I have been poking around in the world of Tolkien for a long time. I hope that if you have any questions about Tolkien, I will be able to command a decently expansive knowledge of The Red Book of Westmarch to answer you. If not, I love an excuse to do some research. The wealth of information surrounding Tolkien is so vast that it helps to be looking for something in particular.
I'm still learning too, and if I mess up, please let me know. I want to be as accurate as I can, and whether or not I look good to readers is not important. What matters to me is Tolkien, and staying as true to him as I can, and you can't learn anything if you are unwilling to listen to corrections. There are a lot of people out there who know much more than I do, and I want to learn from them.
I really truly value the input of readers.
I have been poking around in the world of Tolkien for a long time. I hope that if you have any questions about Tolkien, I will be able to command a decently expansive knowledge of The Red Book of Westmarch to answer you. If not, I love an excuse to do some research. The wealth of information surrounding Tolkien is so vast that it helps to be looking for something in particular.
I'm still learning too, and if I mess up, please let me know. I want to be as accurate as I can, and whether or not I look good to readers is not important. What matters to me is Tolkien, and staying as true to him as I can, and you can't learn anything if you are unwilling to listen to corrections. There are a lot of people out there who know much more than I do, and I want to learn from them.
I really truly value the input of readers.
Welcome to The Red Book.
