pIt is precisely against the darkness of the world that comedy arises, and it is best when that is not hidden.p pWith these words Tolkien replied to Rayner Unwin's comments upon first reading Book 1 of emLord of the Ringsem. Rayner had not commented on the comedy of Book 1 but on the overpowering effect of the struggle between darkness and light, as he put it, and that omission disappointed Tolkien. If this was the response of Tolkien's famous first reviewer, it is not surprising that academic studies have also tended to overlook or disregard both the presence of humour in Tolkien's work and the effect of his work to inspire humour in readers' and artists' responses.p pemLaughter in Middle-earth Humour in and around the Works of JRR Tolkienem more than compensates for this critical oversight. From onomastic studies and parody, to historical, literary, and social contexts, a history of illustrations, textual interpretations, heroic forms of defiant laughter, and then to a reminiscence o