Long before the successful, Lord of the Rings film trilogy, J.R.R. Tolkien's imaginary world and characters enthralled and delighted millions of readers. But who was this man who dreamt up the intricate languages and perfectly crafted world of Middle-earth?
Tolkien had a difficult life. Orphaned and poor, his guardian forbade him from communicating with the woman he loved. He also 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, aided by his vast knowledge of mythology and early northern European history and culture.
This delightful and accessible biography brings this legendary man to life and explores the deep Christian commitment that inspired and informed his work. A close friend of C.S. Lewis and Charles Williams, Tolkien was one of the famous Inklings, a group of literary figures in Oxford in the 1930s who met to discuss their work, which included C.S. Lewis's Narnia books.
About the author:
Colin Duriez was for many years a commissioning editor at Inter-Varsity Press UK. He has subsequently 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 relating to Tolkien such as The Tolkien Encyclopedia (Routledge).
My Take:
Since my husband is the bigger Lord of the Rings fan, I am going to give mostly his review here.
My favorite books are The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. I have read them many times in my life. I have watched the movies (the extended director’s cut, even) and am eagerly awaiting the rest of The Hobbit movies. So, I was interested to learn more about the man behind one of my favorite worlds.
This book gives insight in the past of Tolkein in an effort to let you know why he wrote his famous books. It starts from his birth and tells stories of his life through adulthood. It is your typical biography told about the man behind one of the greatest series of books ever written. And, if you are into biographies or REALLY into the LOTR, then this book is right up your alley. Unfortunately, I guess I am just not that into biographies. It was interesting to learn about Tolkien and where he came from, but I kept wanting to stop reading and go pick up The Hobbit. But, that is just me.
This book is well written and does provide good insight into the life of one of the most famous writers in the world.
I give this book 3 ½ BookWorms.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Lion Books through a Kregel Publishing blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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