| For a more detailed reading on J.R.R.Tolkien, please go to the source of this information at www.tolkiensociety.org/tolkien/index.html my thanks for the information I found there. or try the tolkien network for much more J.R.R.Tolkien was born to Arthur and Mabel on January 3, 1892 in South Africa. His parents had moved there from England to gain a better work opportunity. His father died in 1896, and he and his mother and brother moved back to England. His mother at this time joined the Catholic church and both boys were brought up Catholic. His mother died October 15, 1904 of diabetes complications and the local church Father took charge of the boys until they could go live with an aunt by marriage, and then later were to live with a Mrs. Faulkner at her boarding house. By age 13 or 14, Tolkien had already mastered Latin and Greek (which was normal for an arts education at that time) and was working on Gothic and Finnish as well as making up his own languages for fun. At the age of 16 he met Edith Bratt who was 19 and who would later become his wife. The church Father banned them from seeing each other for a 3 year period, so at 16, Tolkien went off to Oxford University and later graduated with second honors. In March 1916, Tolkien and Edith were married. Tolkien applied for and was accepted to University of Leeds as a 'associate' professor. At this time he also belonged to an impromptu club called 'The Inklings". They met regularly at a local pub for drinks, conversation and frequent readings from their works in progress. It was made up of Coghill, Dyson, Owen Barfield, Charles William, and above all C.S.Lewis who became on of Tolkien's closest friends, and for whose return to Christianity Tolkien was at least partly responsible. The Hobbit was published in 1937, and became an instant hit. It has not been out of children's recommended reading lists since. Lord of The Rings was published much later and was orginally requested by the publisher as a sequel to The Hobbit. For more info on the books, please click to the left "about the book" |
| John Ronald Reuel Tolkien |
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| About the Author |
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