In Memoriam: Edith Mary Tolkien (1889–1971)

On November 29, 1971, Edith Mary Tolkien slipped quietly from this world when she was eighty-two, leaving behind a life woven into the fabric of her family and the imagination of Middle-earth. To the world, she may have seemed the quiet wife of J.R.R. Tolkien, but her life was more complex than any simple label.ContinueContinue reading “In Memoriam: Edith Mary Tolkien (1889–1971)”

November 21: The Birth of Christopher Tolkien

Some inherit stories. Christopher Tolkien inherited a whole world. Born November 21, 1924, he was the youngest son of J.R.R. and Edith Tolkien — and the first audience for The Hobbit. His father’s voice filled his childhood evenings with dwarves, dragons, and a little hobbit named Bilbo. Before the world knew those names, Christopher did. TheContinueContinue reading “November 21: The Birth of Christopher Tolkien”

October 20: Tolkien’s Story, His Myth, His Life

A Quietly Magical Date Some anniversaries sneak up on you. October 20 is one of those.On this day, in four different years, four very different books came into the world: 1949 — Farmer Giles of Ham, a playful tale of an unlikely hero 1955 — The Return of the King, the grand finale of The Lord of theContinueContinue reading “October 20: Tolkien’s Story, His Myth, His Life”