Thomas Alan Shippey (born 1943) is a scholar of medieval literature, including 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.

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 Leeds University. Unlike Tolkien, he later moved to Saint Louis University, where he holds the Walter J. Ong Chair of Humanities.

In addition to writing books of his own, he has edited a number of collections, such as The Oxford Book of Science Fiction Stories, and as of 2003 is the editor of the journal Studies in Medievalism.

Under the pseudonym of John Holm, he is also the co-author (with Harry Harrison) of the Hammer and the Cross trilogy of alternate history/fantasy novels.

Books

• Old English Verse (London: Hutchinson's, 1972)
• Poems of Wisdom and Learning in Old English (Cambridge: D.S. Brewer, Ltd., 1976; 2nd ed., 1977)
• Beowulf. Arnold's Studies in English Literature series (London, 1978).
• The Road to Middle-earth (London: Allen & Unwin, 1982; Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1983), 2nd ed. (London: Harper Collins, 1993), also Revised and Expanded edition (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2003)
• J. R. R. Tolkien: Author of the Century (London: Harper Collins, 2000; Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 2001)

External link

• Tom Shippey page at Saint Louis University

British academics | British linguists | British literary critics | Saint Louis University | Living people | Tolkien studies