I just finished reading "J.R.R. Tolkien," by Mark Horne. It was a quick read, only 130 pages long. I love all things Tolkien, so this new biography of Tolkien was very enjoyable. These days, many more people are familiar with the literary works of Tolkien thanks to the Hollywood movies directed by Peter Jackson. The three-volume work, The Lord of the Rings, was made into three blockbuster movies, and the Hobbit will soon be a two part movie.
This book serves as an overview of Tolkien life and his way of thinking. As a bonus, one of the things the author adds at the end of the book is recommendations of fuller biographies available of Tolkien's life. The author focuses on the effect Tolkien's life and experiences had on his writing of The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. Tolkien's desire (and promise to a friend who died in WWI) was to create stories that would have an impact and inspire readers for many generations.
One of the things I learned about Tolkien is that he was a perfectionist and extremely hesitant to release any of his writings. He was never happy with his latest revision and was constantly rewriting. Were it not for friends like C.S. Lewis, who encouraged him, we might not have The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings.
While Horne shows us Tolkien as academic and Tolkien as fantasy-writer, he also shows us the adventurous years of his youth, such as Tolkien hijacking a bus and driving it through Oxford. He also spends time on the effect World War I had on Tolkien and the effect losing many of his friends had on his writing.
If you are looking for a quick and easy read that gives you a summary of Tolkien's Life, This is it. It is an excellent read! I highly recommend it!
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