J. R. R. TOLKIEN: A Biography
Humphrey Carpenter
From COOK AND BAKERS BOOKS, PARKSVILLE, VANCOUVER ISLAND, BC, Canada
AbeBooks Seller Since August 6, 1999
Quantity: 1From COOK AND BAKERS BOOKS, PARKSVILLE, VANCOUVER ISLAND, BC, Canada
AbeBooks Seller Since August 6, 1999
Quantity: 1About this Item
Cover has wear, pages tanned, soft corners, small tear side edge of pages 103/9, otherwise clean and well bound. 5 X 7.5" 287 pages. In this full-length, authorized biography, Humphrey Carpenter tells the story of Tolkien's remarkable life. This biography follows the long and painful process of creation that produced The Lord of the Rings, charts the growith of The Simarillion and offers a wealth of information about Tolkien's life and work. With a collection of black/white glossy photographs. Seller Inventory # 61920
Bibliographic Details
Title: J. R. R. TOLKIEN: A Biography
Publisher: Unwin Paperbacks, Boston
Publication Date: 1978
Binding: Soft cover
Illustrator: Black & White Photographs
Condition: Fair
About this title
Carpenter chronicles Tolkien's early life with a special sensitivity; after losing both parents, Tolkien and his brother Hilary were taken from their idyllic life in the English countryside to a poverty-ridden existence in dark and sooty Birmingham. There were bright points, however. A social and cheerful lad, Tolkien enjoyed rugby and was proud of his gift for languages. It was also at this time that he met Edith Bratt, who would later become his wife. Academic life--both as a student and professor--is where this biography shines. Friendship with other men played a huge part in Tolkien's life, and Carpenter deftly reveals the importance these relationships--his complex friendship with C.S. Lewis, membership in the Inklings and the T.C.B.S.--had on the development of his writing.
The only criticism one can make about this book is that Carpenter tends to gloss over Tolkien's contributions to comparative philology. True, there is a chapter devoted to Tolkien's academic pursuits, but it tends to skim too lightly over the surface for this reviewer's tastes. Philology is a terribly methodical science, and the author clearly did not want to alienate readers who were primarily interested in Tolkien as a storyteller. Still, it would be nice to understand why Tolkien was held in such high esteem by his fellow academics. As it stands, Tolkien comes off as a slightly eccentric etymologist.
Fans who want to delve even deeper into Tolkien's life should pick up a copy of Carpenter's The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. --P.M. Atterberry
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
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