John R. R. Tolkien
1892 - 1973
the acclaimed master of classic fantasy
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973) was a major scholar of
the English language, specialising in Old and Middle English. Twice
Professor of Anglo-Saxon (Old English) at the University of Oxford,
he also wrote a number of stories, including most famously The
Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955), which are
set in a pre-historic era in an invented version of the world which
he called by the Middle English name of Middle-earth. This was
peopled by Men (and women), Elves, Dwarves, Trolls, Orcs (or
Goblins) and of course Hobbits. He has regularly been condemned
by the Eng. Lit. establishment, with honourable exceptions, but
loved by literally millions of readers worldwide.
In the 1960s he was taken up by many members of the nascent
""counter-culture"" largely because of his concern with
environmental issues. In 1997 he came top of three British polls,
organised respectively by Channel 4 / Waterstone's, the Folio
Society, and SFX, the UK's leading science fiction media magazine,
amongst discerning readers asked to vote for the greatest book of
the 20th century.
Essays
Synopsis of Tolkien's The Hobbit -- Detailed synopsis of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit
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Synopsis of Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring -- Detailed synopsis of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring
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Synopsis of Tolkien's The Two Towers -- Detailed synopsis of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Two Towers
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Synopsis of Tolkien's The Return of the King -- Detailed synopsis of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Return of the King
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