My Favourite Writer and His Book: J.R.R. Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings
The author of the famous book The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien, was born in 1892 in South Africa. After the death of his father, the family moved to England, and Tolkien grew up in a village near Birmingham. When his mother died, he was sent to live in boarding homes under the care of a Catholic priest. There he met another orphan, Edith Bratt, and later fell in love with her. They got married in 1916.
Tolkien served in the First World War. After the war, he became a professor of English at Oxford University.
Tolkien disliked modern technology—he never owned a refrigerator, never watched TV, and even refused to buy an electric iron. However, he did buy cars for his children and grandchildren. He had a great love for ancient myths and borrowed characters from European mythology for his books. He created an entire fictional world filled with wizards, elves, dwarves, goblins, and, of course, hobbits.
Hobbits were Tolkien’s original creation. The word is a blend of “Homo” (man) and “rabbit.” Hobbits are small creatures, about 1 meter tall, with furry feet. They are peaceful and love their gardens and cozy underground homes. They generally avoid adventures, but in The Hobbit, the main character, Bilbo Baggins, embarks on a long and dangerous journey full of challenges. In The Lord of the Rings, Bilbo’s nephew, Frodo Baggins, is given a dangerous mission: to destroy a magic ring that gives its owner great power.
The book became an instant success. Tolkien’s magical world captured the imagination of millions of readers. For nearly fifty years, people have not only read his books—they have also tried to live in the world he created. Tolkien sold the film rights to The Lord of the Rings in 1969, though he never believed a movie would be made. But he was wrong. It took nearly five decades for the story to appear on the big screen.
The Lord of the Rings was published in 1954. It took Tolkien 11 years to write it. Today, it is often considered the greatest book of the 20th century, and Tolkien is recognized as one of the greatest writers of that era.