J. R. R. Tolkien: The Making of a Legend

by Colin Duriez

Overview

Long before the successful The Lord of the Rings films, J.R.R. Tolkien's creations, imagination, and characters had captured the attention of millions of readers. But who was the man who dreamt up the intricate languages and perfectly crafted world of Middle-earth?

Tolkien had a difficult life, for many years: orphaned and poor, his guardian forbad him to communicate with the woman he had fallen in love with, and he went through the horrors of the First World War. An intensely private and brilliant scholar, he spent over fifty years working on the languages, history, peoples and geography of Middle-earth, with a consistent mythology and body of legends inspired by a formidable knowledge of early northern European history and culture. J.R.R. Tolkien became a legend by creating an imaginary world that has enthralled and delighted generations. This delightful and accessible biography brings him to life. Colin Duriez has appeared as a commentator on DVDs of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings, and BBC television's The Worlds of Fantasy. He is also the author of The Inklings Handbook (with the late David Porter), J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis: The Story of Their Friendship, and Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings, and has contributed to definitive reference works, The Tolkien Encyclopedia and a number of other tomes relating to Tolkien.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780745957098
Publisher:	Lion Books
Publication date:	10/10/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Colin Duriez is an expert on C.S. Lewis, his writings and also his wider circle. He is also the author of the popular biography C.S. Lewis: A biography of friendship and J.R.R. Tolkien: The Making of a Legend (both published by Lion Hudson). He has also written widely on other aspects of Lewis, Tolkien and the other members of the Inklings, and has contributed to conferences, lectures, DVDs and documentaries on these subjects.

Table of Contents

Foreword 7

1 "I Am in Fact a Hobbit..." 11

2 Edith 24

3 Schooldays and that T.C.B.S. 38

4 Oxford and the Dawn of a new Life 55

5 The Shadow of War 73

6 War and Loss 86

7 Recovery, "W", and Half a Million Words 103

8 Leeds and Dragons 121

9 Oxford and C.S. Lewis 131

10 Of Hobbits and Inklings 155

11 Tolkien's Second War 177

12 The Struggle to Publish 192

13 The Tolkien Phenomenon, and Farewell 213

Afterword 220

Notes 221

Select Bibliography 233

Index 236

Editorial Reviews

"A welcome addition to any Tolkien reader's bookshelf. It is impossible to read Colin Duriez's volume without wanting to reread Tolkien's books—an undoubted compliment to both authors."  —Brian Sibley, author, The Lord of the Rings' Official Movie Guide


"A graceful, sympathetic, and appealing dual biography."  —Booklist on Tolkien and C.S. Lewis: The Gift of Friendship

From the Publisher