This year's Tolkien desk diary continues in a popular tradition yet this is a very special year, for 2005 is the 50th anniversary since the first publication of The Lord of the Rings. The Tolkien Diary 2005 features 13 paintings and illustrations by J. R. R. Tolkien himself, some of these not appearing in print for many years. The paintings are based on Tolkien's classic masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, and provide a fascinating insight into how Tolkien himself imagined the world of Middle-earth would look. The images are accompanied by informative text which explains how they relate to the story and offers information on their content and history.