J.R.R. Tolkein: The Making of a Legend by Colin Duriez

My Thoughts:

Being a huge Lord of the Rings fan, I'd always wondered what J.R.R. Tolkein was really like.  What inspired him?  Frightened him?  How did hobbits, Gollom, and the Dark Riders come to be?  While reading this book, I was tickled to discover that he described himself as being was very much like a hobbit!  J.R.R. Tolkein, referred to as Ronald in J.R.R. Tolkein: The Making of a Legend, was an amazing individual.  He was orphaned at a young age but because of his brilliant mind and the kindness of others he was able to grow into a man with great faith, incredible creativity and a love of languages.  The pages cover Tolkein's turbulent childhood, exciting college years, forbidden love, war and more.  In his book, Colin Duriez also goes into great detail describing events, places and people that were Tolkein's inspiration for hobbits, the Elvish language and more.  Though the book is non-fiction, I believe that Hobbit and Lord of the Rings fans would find the pages fascinating.  It was like taking a step back in time and having a chat with J.R.R. Tolkin himself.  

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Description:

Long before the successful, Lord of the Rings film trilogy, J.R.R. Tolkien's imaginary world and characters had enthralled and delighted millions of readers. But who was this man who dreamt up the intricate languages and perfectly crafted world of Middle-earth?Tolkien had a difficult life. Orphaned and poor, his guardian forbade him from communicating with the woman he loved. He also went through the horrors of the First World War. An intensely private and brilliant scholar, he spent over fifty years working on the languages, history, peoples, and geography of Middle-earth, aided by his vast knowledge of mythology and early northern European history and culture.
This delightful and accessible biography brings this legendary man to life and explores the deep Christian commitment that inspired and informed his work. A close friend of C.S. Lewis and Charles Williams, Tolkien was one of the famous Inklings, a group of literary figures in Oxford in the 1930s who met to discuss their work, which included C.S. Lewis's Narnia books.

*I was given a copy of this book by Kregel in exchange for my honest opinion.  No other compensation was received.*