J. R. R. Tolkien: Author of the Century is a 2001 book of literary criticism written by Tom Shippey. It is about the work of the philologist and fantasy author J. R. R. Tolkien. In it, Shippey argues for the relevance of Tolkien today and attempts to firmly establish Tolkien's literary merits, based on analysis of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and Tolkien's shorter works. The book was well received by scholars, who however pointed out that it covered similar ground to his 1983 book The Road to Middle-earth, for a more general audience. Reviews in both The Independent and The Observer praised the book, stating that it made a low-key but effective case for Tolkien's quality, and noting that it undercut the British literary establishment's hostility to Tolkien. The book won the 2001 World Fantasy Award and the 2001 Mythopoeic Award. Source: Wikipedia (en)