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'''J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography'''
'''J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography''' is a book by [[Humphrey Carpenter]]. Officially published in [[1977]], it is the official, authorized biography of [[J.R.R. Tolkien]].
===From the Publisher===
===From the Publisher===
The authorized biography of the creator of Middle-earth. In the decades since his death in September 1973, millions have read THE HOBBIT, THE LORD OF THE RINGS, and THE SILMARILLION and become fascinated about the very private man behind the books.
The authorized biography of the creator of [[Middle-earth]]. In the decades since his death in September [[1973]], millions have read [[The Hobbit|THE HOBBIT]], [[The Lord of the Rings|THE LORD OF THE RINGS]], and [[The Silmarillion|THE SILMARILLION]] and become fascinated about the very private man behind the books.


Born in South Africa in January 1892, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was orphaned in childhood and brought up in near-poverty. He served in the first World War, surviving the Battle of the Somme, where he lost many of the closest friends he'd ever had. After the war he returned to the academic life, achieving high repute as a scholar and university teacher, eventually becoming Merton Professor of English at Oxford where he was a close friend of C.S. Lewis and the other writers known as The Inklings.
Born in [[South Africa]] in January [[1892]], John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was orphaned in childhood and brought up in near-poverty. He served in the [[World War I|first World War]], surviving the [[Battle of the Somme]], where he lost many of the closest friends he'd ever had. After the war he returned to the academic life, achieving high repute as a scholar and university teacher, eventually becoming Merton Professor of English at [[University of Oxford|Oxford]] where he was a close friend of [[C.S. Lewis]] and the other writers known as [[Inklings|The Inklings]].


Then suddenly his life changed dramatically. One day while grading essay papers he found himself writing 'In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit' -- and worldwide renown awaited him.
Then suddenly his life changed dramatically. One day while grading essay papers he found himself writing 'In a hole in the ground there lived a [[Hobbits|hobbit]]' -- and worldwide renown awaited him.


Humphrey Carpenter was given unrestricted access to all Tolkien's papers, and interviewed his friends and family. From these sources he follows the long and painful process of creation that produced THE LORD OF THE RINGS and THE SILMARILLION and offers a wealth of information about the life and work of the twentieth century's most cherished author.
[[Humphrey Carpenter]] was given unrestricted access to all Tolkien's papers, and interviewed his friends and family. From these sources he follows the long and painful process of creation that produced THE LORD OF THE RINGS and THE SILMARILLION and offers a wealth of information about the life and work of the twentieth century's most cherished author.


[[Category:Books]]
[[Category:Books]]
[[Category:Books about J.R.R. Tolkien]]
[[Category:Books about J.R.R. Tolkien]]

Revision as of 11:30, 19 March 2009

This article is about the book by Humphrey Carpenter. For the the book by Leslie Ellen Jones, see J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies).
J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography
File:J.R.R. Tolkien - A Biography.jpg
AuthorHumphrey Carpenter
PublisherHoughton Mifflin
Released1977
FormatPaperback
Pages304 pages
ISBN0618057021

J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography is a book by Humphrey Carpenter. Officially published in 1977, it is the official, authorized biography of J.R.R. Tolkien.

From the Publisher

The authorized biography of the creator of Middle-earth. In the decades since his death in September 1973, millions have read THE HOBBIT, THE LORD OF THE RINGS, and THE SILMARILLION and become fascinated about the very private man behind the books.

Born in South Africa in January 1892, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was orphaned in childhood and brought up in near-poverty. He served in the first World War, surviving the Battle of the Somme, where he lost many of the closest friends he'd ever had. After the war he returned to the academic life, achieving high repute as a scholar and university teacher, eventually becoming Merton Professor of English at Oxford where he was a close friend of C.S. Lewis and the other writers known as The Inklings.

Then suddenly his life changed dramatically. One day while grading essay papers he found himself writing 'In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit' -- and worldwide renown awaited him.

Humphrey Carpenter was given unrestricted access to all Tolkien's papers, and interviewed his friends and family. From these sources he follows the long and painful process of creation that produced THE LORD OF THE RINGS and THE SILMARILLION and offers a wealth of information about the life and work of the twentieth century's most cherished author.