90 pages, profusely illustrated. The protective plastic covering the jacket was held down with sticky tape which has left a small but prominent stain on the tail of the front end paper and a shadow of the tape towards the head; there are also two smaller, less intrusive stains on the back end paper. The body of the book is pristine and the binding solid. "Using family photographs and keepsakes "This biography of Tolkien looks at the family details of the author's life. It tells of his love affair with Edith Bratt, and the dramatic circumstances of their relationship and eventual marriage; of Tolkien's experiences in World War I; of the birth of his children; his academic career, and of the writing of the books that made him a household name all over the world. The book also takes a look at the often strange fan mail that he received, and the honours bestowed upon him before and after his death." (The publisher)