A Shire Walking-Party: Paintings Inspired by Tolkien’s Little Folk

• You’re invited on a walking-party through hobbit homelands, history, and culture in this lavishly-illustrated art book. Ramble at leisure through the green countryside. Visit major landmarks and little-known byways. Take your ease at rustic inns and walk right into welcoming hobbit holes. Befriend the locals and greet elves, dwarves, and others passing through the region, all faithfully based on Tolkien’s authoritative lore. More than 60 beautiful paintings by award-winning fine artist Miriam Ellis will make you believe you’re really there. J.R.R. Tolkien said that he felt most at home in the Shire. You will, too, after this gentle adventure amongst Middle-earth’s most charming folk in the places they loved best. This exquisite volume will not only solidify your knowledge of the hobbits, but will draw your attention to fascinating facts about them which you may have overlooked. Expect an interactive walk, filled with signposts along the way featuring fun trivia and questions for your personal contemplation. Bring a sturdy staff, a hearty appetite, and enter an immersive experience of life in the Shire that you’ll want to return to again and again.

Tolkien, Hobbits, Art, Shire, Middle-earth

• Miriam Ellis is an award-winning fine artist and the author of The Art of Mercy in Middle-earth. She is a professional columnist and a speaker at Tolkien-inspired conferences. Her paintings have been featured in numerous publications of the Tolkien Society and in books, calendars, event media, and online media. Her art has been praised by Professor Tom Shippey, Dr. Holly Ordway, Ted Nasmith, and other luminaries of the Tolkien community. Miriam was raised on J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings by her father, and she has always been a hobbit at heart. She is especially drawn to portraying the legendarium’s themes of humble fellowship and high beauty. Miriam lives in California with her large family of Tolkien readers. Museum-quality prints of her paintings are available at MiriamEllis.com.

• “All readers of Tolkien create their own images of the Shire, the friendliest utopia in all of literature. Miriam Ellis’s new book goes a step further, bringing settings and moments to life: Hobbiton and Michel Delving, the Ivy Bush and the Green Dragon, and also things barely glimpsed by the rest of us. Gandalf in the Long Winter, the hobbits’ first crossing of the Brandywine. It’s not only a resource but an expansion. How Tolkien himself would have loved to see it!” - Dr. Tom Shippey, author of J. R. R. Tolkien: Author of the Century

• “A Shire Walking-Party is a work of exquisite artistry and prose by Ms. Ellis. It’s hard to imagine a more delightful and immersive plunge into the lore of Tolkien’s hobbits!” - Ted Nasmith, artist and illustrator of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion

• “Miriam Ellis’s visions of Tolkien’s world are as original as they are beautiful. Every image of Middle-earth in A Shire Walking-Party glows from within with a light both warm and pure.” - Dr. Michael D.C. Drout, author of The Tower and the Ruin

• “Miriam Ellis is an exquisite artist and a writer of exceptional talent. A Shire Walking-Party is proof of these gifts. Blending beautiful art with extraordinary prose, Ellis delivers a book that serves as a warm and welcoming companion for anyone wishing to embark on a journey through the Shire. Ellis’s research is meticulous, providing a wealth of information about hobbits that will delight every Tolkien enthusiast. The book’s insightful questions encourage readers to pause, reflect, and engage deeply with the text while uncovering their own inner hobbit. Through her conversational tone and breathtaking paintings, Ellis draws readers in for a heartfelt discussion and invites us to picture ourselves at the very heart of the hobbits’ world. A Shire Walking-Party is a joyful celebration of Tolkien’s work and a true testament to Miriam Ellis’s remarkable artistry and literary skill.” - Dr. Hannah McDonald, Chair of The Tolkien Society’s Board of Trustees

• “Much has been written about the great battles and noble lineages of Middle-earth, less so the little folk upon which its fate was decided. Ellis does just that in A Shire Walking-Party with her wonderfully approachable writing and beautifully rendered paintings as she invites us down the paths and up the hillocks of this less traveled part of Tolkien’s world. By focusing a fresh light on the little places and simple joys of a life among hobbits, Ellis allows us to take a much needed break from the machine even if just for a moment.” - Graham Judd, co-author and illustrator of Flora of Middle-earth

• “Aglow with life as always, the art of Miriam Ellis lights us through the wood, down the lane, and along the water to the warm lamps of evening and home in the Shire.” - Tom Hillman, author of Pity, Power, and Tolkien’s Ring

• “Miriam Ellis’s A Shire Walking-Party is an invitation to slow down, step into the Shire, and linger there as long as we like in the company of Tolkien's beloved little folk. Across nearly two hundred beautifully painted pages, Ellis takes us through hobbit history, culture, and landscape with the warmth of a knowledgeable and deeply personal guide, illuminating corners of the legendarium that Tolkien himself cherished. Her paintings glow with the cozy hearths, rolling green hills, and quiet pleasures that we associate with hobbits and the Shire, and her prose carries the same spirit: consoling, curious, and full of good cheer. This book is a wonderful gift to the Tolkien community: a walking-party well worth joining.” - Dr. Sara Brown, Language & Literature Department Chair, Signum University

• “Miriam Ellis’s latest book is an exquisite gem, beautifully fashioned and imbued with the light and magic of Tolkien’s world. Her illustrations are stunning, painterly in style and featuring scenes and characters that are at once homely and epic. Rarely have the meadows, woods and gardens of the Shire been so evocatively depicted, or the material culture of its inhabitants so meticulously realised.” - Dr. Joel Merriner, author of Illustrating The Lord of the Rings in the Soviet Bloc

• “Miriam’s fantastic artwork is combined with thoughtful essays on Tolkien’s writings from the perspective of the hobbits. Combining history (ours and theirs), geography, interesting facts, and suggested further reading, this was a pleasure to read and I am sure I will revisit it often.” - Jeremy Edmonds, Tolkien Collector’s Guide

• “In A Shire Walking-Party, Miriam Ellis invites us to slow down — to set aside the great tales of dire danger for a while and simply linger with hobbits in their homeland. Her new book is a glorious feast of paintings, a thoughtful tour of Shire history and culture, and a quiet argument that the ‘merrier world’ is closer than we think.” - Alan Sisto, co-author of Why We Love Middle-earth and host of The Prancing Pony Podcast

• “Miriam’s works are a joy, and A Shire Walking-Party is no exception. It was an absolute delight from beginning to end. The paintings capture the warmth, charm, and quiet beauty of the Shire with remarkable skill, inviting the reader into a world that feels both familiar and freshly discovered. What impressed me most was how deeply informed the artwork is by Tolkien’s legendarium; every location, moment, detail, and scene reflects a genuine understanding of the lore; celebrating the rich culture, landscapes, and everyday life of the hobbits. Equally commendable are the accompanying written pieces, which are thoughtful, engaging, and perfectly complement the visual journey — it truly feels like we’re ambling together through the Shire, enjoying a glorious, sunny day with a friendly pub at the end. Together, the art and text create a wonderfully immersive and relaxing visit to the Shire — one that any Tolkien admirer will treasure. It will forever live on my coffee table next to my comfy reading chair and a cup of tea! - Dr. Maggie Parke, Studio Director, Signum University