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The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien Paperback – June 6, 2000

by J. R. R. Tolkien (Author), Christopher Tolkien (Author), Humphrey Carpenter (Author)

108 customer reviews

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'. . .If you wanted to go on from the end of The Hobbit I think the ring would be your inevitable choice as the link. If then you wanted a large tale, the Ring would at once acquire a capital letter; and the Dark Lord would immediately appear. As he did, unasked, on the hearth at Bag End as soon as I came to that point. So the essential Quest started at once. But I met a lot of things along the way that astonished me. Tom Bombadil I knew already; but I had never been to Bree. Strider sitting in the corner of the inn was a shock, and I had no more idea who he was than Frodo did. The Mines of Moria had been a mere name; and of Lothlorien no word had reached my mortal ears till I came there.' -- J.R.R. Tolkien to W.H. Auden, June 7, 1955

J.R.R. Tolkien, cherished author of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion, was one of the twentieth century's most prolific letter writers. Over the years he wrote a mass of letters -- to his publishers, his family, to friends, and to fans of his books -- which record the history and composition of his works and his reaction to subsequent events.

By turns thoughtful, impish, scholarly, impassioned, playful, vigorous, and gentle, Tolkien poured his heart and mind into a great stream of correspondence to intimate friends and unknown admirers all over the world. From this collection one sees a mind of immense complexity and many layers -- artistic, religious, charmingly eccentric, sentimental, and ultimately brilliant.

Now newly expanded with a detailed index, this collection provides an invaluable record that sheds much light on Tolkien's creative genius, his thoughts and feelings about his own work, and the evolution of his grand design for the creation of a whole new world -- Middle-earth.

The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Scholars and fans of the great mythologist will find a rich vein of information in Humphrey Carpenter's The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien was a prodigious letter writer all his life; the sheer mass of his correspondence would give pause to even the most stalwart archivist (one shudders to think what he would have done with e-mail). But with the able assistance of Tolkien's son Christopher and a healthy dose of determination, Carpenter manages find the cream of the crop--the letters that shed light on Tolkien's thoughts about his academic and literary work, as well as those that show his more private side, revealing a loving husband, a playful friend, and a doting father. The most fascinating letters are, of course, those in which he discusses Middle-Earth, and Carpenter offers plenty of those to choose from. Tolkien discussed the minutia of his legend--sometimes at great length--with friends, publishers, and even fans who wrote to him with questions. These letters offer significant insights into how he went about creating the peoples and languages of Middle-Earth.

I have long ceased to invent (though even patronizing or sneering critics on the side praise my 'inventions'): I wait till I seem to know what really happened. Or till it writes itself. Thus, though I knew for years that Frodo would run into a tree-adventure somewhere far down the Great River, I had no recollection of inventing Ents. I came at last to the point, and wrote the 'Treebeard' chapter without any recollection of any previous thought: just as it is now. And then I saw that, of course, it had not happened to Frodo at all.

This new edition of letters has an extensive index, and Carpenter has included a brief blurb at the beginning of each letter to explain who the correspondent was and what was being discussed. Still, we strongly recommend buying the companion volume, J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography, in order to better understand the place these correspondents had in Tolkien's life and get a better context for the letters. --Perry M. Atterberry

From Library Journal

The old fellow's letters to friends, family, and fans offer insight into his life and writings. Fun but not essential.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

Paperback: 480 pages
Publisher: Mariner Books; 1 edition (June 2000)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0618056998
ISBN-13: 978-0618056996
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.2 x 8.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (108 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #46,000 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #253 in Books > Literature & Fiction > History & Criticism > Movements & Periods
- #266 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > Authors
- #290 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Essays & Correspondence

Customer Reviews

108

4.6 out of 5 stars

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Top Customer Reviews

A jewel in Tolkien's canon as valuable as a Silmaril

ByMike Londonon July 25, 2005

Format: Paperback

Of the plethora of Tolkien books available on the market, not only is this one of the most essential, it is also one of the most highly enlightening. Naturally, that's because it was written by Tolkien himself.

Highly illuminating, frequently entertaining, and always interesting, Tolkien's LETTERS give us a remarkable look into one of the 20th century's most popular and widely read authors. Whether he is talking to his son about marriage, struggling to publish LORT in the early 1950s, addressing fans' various questions and concerns, writing about his scholarly life or his books, Tolkien is sharp-witted, engaging, and extremely intelligent. To his credit, he never sounds condescending, and ultimately, of all the writing about Tolkien, this is ultimately the most humanizing of them all.

What makes some of the most interesting to the letters are when Tolkien is discussing his own works. Much like UNFINISHED TALES, the LETTERS are a wonderful sumplement and a great source of information about Middle-earth that cannot be found elsewhere and is incredibly enlightening, whether it be a die-hard Tolkien researcher or a first time reader.

For those familiar with the older editions of LETTERS (I have a hardback version, well before this came out), the newly revised index, prepared by Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull, make this alone worth purchasing. The index is so much better and makes this edition a lot easier to navigate through

What makes Tolkien's LETTERS such a valuable addition to the Tolkien canon is because, of all his books, this is the most intimate, naked look we will ever have into his mind other than through a mythological lens of his core books. The LETTERS are a treasure-trove of intellectual delight, and with such keen, piercing wit, humility, and a beautiful Catholic faith, it is wonderful to know that Tolkien was as wonderful as we all secretly hoped he would be. What is also so humanizing about it is because you also see Tolkien frustrated, hurt, and just trying to provide for his family. He's not perfect by any means, which makes LETTERS all the more endearing. The most heart breaking line in this book is the very last: "It is stuff, sticky, and rainy at present - but forecast are more favourable." This was written a mere four days before death overtook him. He was moving to a much better place.

Tolkien once said if you truly wanted to know him read LOTR and THE SILMARILLION. Those are, naturally, the best places to start, because Tolkien's mind moved primarily along mythological grooves. However, for a more conventional portrait of this remarkable man, there's no better place to start than THE LETTERS OF J. R. R. TOLKIEN.

0Comment 100 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Man or myth?

ByAmazon Customeron August 2, 2000

Format: Paperback

Being a long a fan of Tolkien and Middle-earth, I certainly enjoy reading all of his works. At least those that don't require a degree in Anglo-Saxon to read!
Having such a high opinion of the man tends to raise him to an almost larger-than-life position. He's unapproachable. He's brilliant.
Reading this book has helped to bring Tolkien from near-mythological status into a man. That is a good thing. One can enter the man's mind and begin to understand the thought process that occurs.
I find this better to read than a biography, because a biography tends to be "formal", and these letters are simply the un-edited and unpolished person at their best or at their worst.
I dearly love the man, and his work. These letters help me to pretend that I knew him when he was alive, which would have been a pleasure indeed.

0Comment 51 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Not Always Flattering, but Very Revealing

ByD. BuxmanTOP 500 REVIEWERVINE VOICEon October 13, 2004

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

If you have an idealized view of JRR Tolkien that you want to protect, you might want to avoid this book. The letters can be funny and extremely interesting, but sometimes I felt as if I were reading about matters that Mr. Tolkien considered private and that he might have wanted kept that way. He writes several letters about money being tight and taxes being high ("progressive tax rates in England at the time were around 90%), and he also has several letters that aren't necessarily flattering to American taste. However, there are also magically insightful letters dealing with linguistic issues and filling out some questions from The Lord of the Rings. Many common assumptions about Tolkien are challenged by this book. For instance, I always assumed that Tolkien and C.S. Lewis were quite close until Lewis passed away, but some of the letters reveal a distance that emerged between them as Lewis became involved with the woman he ultimately married. I also enjoyed Tolkien's views on Catholicism, although I am not Catholic.

0Comment 50 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Most Recent Customer Reviews

Five Stars

This was a gift to my priest son and he very much likes the book.

Published 8 days ago by Sharon Kauth

This will give more background of Tolkein - understanding the man better enables the reader to understand the writing better

Mr. 19 loves Tolkein and is well versed in most of his writings. This will give more background of Tolkein - understanding the man better enables the reader to understand the...Read more

Published 20 days ago by Amazon Customer

Five Stars

This was a gift for my daughter in law she loves it

Published 21 days ago by Sue Gerding

Tolkien - such an excellent author! The book itself - excellent quality

Tolkien - such an excellent author! The book itself - excellent quality! The price - I purchased this one used for an excellent price!Read more

Published 2 months ago by BlueAZ

I have enjoyed Tolkiens' writings

I have enjoyed Tolkiens' writings. Nice to read the letters. I started reading him in 1965 I believe. And have enjoyed him and all the stories I can get a hold of.Read more

Published 2 months ago by Amazon Customer

Five Stars

glad I found a copy of this!

Published 3 months ago by MrDrum81

insightfull

insitefull reading

Published 5 months ago by brandon d baur

great in small doses

This must have been a challenging undertaking compiling these letters but well worth it. Feels like your back in time and part of the inner circle.Read more

Published 6 months ago by P. Guarracino

I love reading his response to various queries about Middle Earth ...

My copy is worn and beaten down, but these letters are a must-have for fans of the Professor's work.Read more

Published 6 months ago by 2 Apple Pips

Love this quote from Letters

Love this quote from Letters, "I dislike Allegory- the conscious and intentional allegory-yet any attempt to explain the purport of myth or fairy tale must use allegorical...Read more

Published 7 months ago by Tiffini Oporto

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