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    The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien
    Unavailable
    The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien
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    The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien
    Ebook757 pages9 hours

    The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien

    By Humphrey Carpenter and Christopher Tolkien

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    A comprehensive collection of letters spanning the adult life (1914-1973) of one of the world’s most famous storytellers.

    ‘It is not possible even at great length to "pot" The Lord of the Rings in a paragraph or two. It was begun in 1936, and every part has been written many times… the labour has been colossal; and it must stand or fall, practically as it is.’

    J.R.R. Tolkien was one of the most prolific letter writers of this century. Over the years he wrote to his publishers, his family, to friends (including C.S. Lewis, W.H. Auden and Naomi Mitchison) and to fans of his books. The letters present a fascinating and highly detailed portrait of the man in many of his aspects: as storyteller, scholar, Catholic, parent and observer of the world around him. They also shed much light on his creative genius and grand design for the creation of a whole new world – Middle-earth.
    This collection will appeal not only to the legions of Tolkien fans, but will entertain anyone who appreciates the art of letter-writing, of which Tolkien was a master.

    ‘I am nearly always written to as Tolkein (not by you): I do not know why, since it is pronounced by me always -keen.’

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins UK
    Release dateDec 13, 2012
    ISBN9780007381234
    Unavailable
    The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien
    Author

    Humphrey Carpenter

    Humphrey Carpenter was born in Oxford in 1946 and has spent most of his life in that city. He read English Language and Literature at Keble College, Oxford, and met Professor J.R.R. Tolkien on a number of occasions. For some years he worked for the BBC as a radio producer and broadcaster and has won acclaim as a top biographer, including the recent and controversial biography of Robert Runcie.

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    Reviews for The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien

    4/5

    373 ratings12 reviews

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    • 4/5
      While there are some gems in this collection, and it serves as a good supplement to other Tolkien criticism / the 12 HOME volumes, it's index is quite limited in its usefulness and the volume would greatly benefit from an updated organizational apparatus.
    • 4/5
      Fascinating look into a great author's mind. It shows off a bit of the process he used to create his worlds, as well as giving insight into the man himself.
    • 5/5
      Fascinating, insightful, and often touching. Sometimes repetitive and sometimes over the head of any non-philologist, it can take a bit of patience, but the many gems are well worth it.
    • 5/5
      I felt it was a bit too invasive to be reading someone's letters that were never supposed to be for the eyes of anyone who wasn't the person it was addressed to, but this was an interesting read about the man who created the Lord of the Rings series.
    • 3/5
      Well, an author like any other artist, is best experienced through the art they produce. Too close an acquaintance, as some of these letters reveal, may be disillusioning. One should not rely too heavily on one's mental picture of JRRT as the kind and loving father to anyone other than Christopher Tolkien. I was surprised to discover that he had other children, and his wife did not die sometime in the 1930's but was his lifelong companion. Perhaps the wife and other children didn't wish to expose any more of their lives to the gawping public, and that certainly is their right. But it does add a little depth to the figure presented by this selection of the letters.
    • 5/5
      What a treasure trove this is. The collection begins with a handful of letters Tolkien wrote to his wife during his training for the army just before leaving for France in WWI and carries on through 354 letters ending with one he wrote his daughter a few days before his death in 1973. Along the way are letters to family members, friends, and colleagues; to his publisher (outlining nicely parts of the process of getting The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and a number of his shorter works ready for print); and to readers who asked questions about his works. The letters are full of glimpses into Tolkien's life, his religious views, the background of his works, and the workings of the languages he invented. I found the entire collection thoroughly engaging and at times very effecting. The last twenty or so letters made me particularly verklempt. These cover the last two years of his life and include a heart-wrenching letter to one of his sons in which Tolkien describes his despair at the loss of his wife. The very last letter, written just days before Tolkien died, almost undid me. He writes to his daughter of plans for his week away with friends and tells her how he spent his afternoon, wandering about town and getting a haircut. Just living his life, writing his letters, with no notion he was living his last few days. Gah. Recommended whole-heartedly to Tolkien enthusiasts.
    • 5/5
      Reading Tolkien's letters has to be fascinating for anyone interested in the man and/or his works. He reflects on what he wrote, gives advice to his sons, reports on the progress of his work, and sends irritated letters to Germans who have asked if he's of Jewish descent. It's a pretty exhaustive collection, with an index and little bits of context to go with each letter. Worth reading!
    • 4/5
      While there are some gems in this collection, and it serves as a good supplement to other Tolkien criticism / the 12 HOME volumes, it's index is quite limited in its usefulness and the volume would greatly benefit from an updated organizational apparatus.
    • 4/5
      Fascinating look into a great author's mind. It shows off a bit of the process he used to create his worlds, as well as giving insight into the man himself.
    • 5/5
      Any dedicated Tolkien fan should read this book, which provides surprising details about his personal life, his religious belief, his personal philosophy, and the writing of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
    • 4/5
      Some letters of great interest, notably his reaction to the Nazis.
    • 5/5
      This give the reader a lot of details on ME that were previously unknown or only surmised. It also tells you a lot about Tolkein both as a person and as a writer and a teacher.