Part 4 explores the people Tolkien was close to at this time, including C.S. For example, Parts 4 and 5 both cover the years 1925-1949, years where Tolkien was a professor at Oxford and crafted both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The parts flow chronologically, but within each part, Carpenter isn’t afraid to jump around a bit in time to provide a holistic view of defining moments in Tolkien’s life. Exactly how a good biographer should present a subject who looms so large in fantasy literature. Tolkien I developed demonstrated a fully-realized man. Carpenter doesn’t shy away from displaying the faults and flaws of Tolkien’s life, but never does he lay judgment either. Never once is Tolkien elevated beyond the status of merely a scholastic man.
Carpenter offers a depth of detail into Tolkien’s life I found refreshing. I found myself easily getting lost in the details of Tolkien’s life. Carpenter’s prose is clear and, at times, even conversational. Tolkien: A Biography to be welcoming and engaging. When I first saw this, I admit, I was a bit intimidated! Once I slipped into the pages, I found J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography was not a disappointment.Ĭarpenter’s biography is written in eight parts with four appendices.
To better understand the origins of Tolkien’s works, I picked up his authorized biography upon the recommendation of Kim Traveling in Books. Being able to participate in this event challenges me to learn more and deepen my understanding of, what I have come to learn, is a complex man with a brilliant mind. My relationship with the life and work of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien is sophomoric at best. While this is only my second year participating in the Tolkien Reading Event at Pages Unbound, it has become a great point of joy each year. Tolkien: A Biography by Humphrey Carpenter
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