J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of Worlds

Known as ‘the father of modern fantasy’ his epic tales of legend and lore have been enjoyed by millions of people all over the world — devoured in popular books and adapted for Hollywood blockbuster films. Unbelievably bright, he was a distinguished university professor, poet, historian, and expert linguist. As a child, he even made up his own languages for pure fun.

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Credits:
Host - Simon Whistler
Author - Crystal Sullivan
Producer - Samuel Avila
Executive Producer - Shell Harris

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[Truthseeker]

Nothing but absolute respect for JRR did not chase money, he was an inventor, he was a creator of worlds....

[Julia-jdie]

"Some random dude and the gorgeous immortal demigoddess elf princess who for some reason falls in love with him" is the absolute best way to write yourself and your wife into your book.

[Artur_M.]

One interesting tidbit of Tolkien's biography I love accrued shortly before WWII, when a German publisher contacted him, expressing interest in publishing a German edition of the Hobbit, but asking Tolkien to prove his "Aryan" descent. Tolkien's response was simply glorious:
"I regret that I am not clear as to what you intend by arisch. I am not of Aryan extraction: that is Indo-Iranian; as far as I am aware none of my ancestors spoke Hindustani, Persian, Gypsy, or any related dialects. But if I am to understand that you are enquiring whether I am of Jewish origin, I can only reply that I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people."
In further part of his letter writhing that: " if impertinent and irrelevant inquiries of this sort are to become the rule in matters of literature, then the time is not far distant when a German name will no longer be a source of pride".
Possibly the classiest burn of Nazi twats ever.

[Kurtlane]

Tolkien made a trip to Switzerland in 1911. It was short, but it made a strong impression. He fell in love with mountains, one can see it in the Hobbit and in LOTR.

[librasgirl]

I got to know his great grandson Royd Tolkien a bit. He is a great guy, who was in the films on the request of Peter Jackson. Over the last year, he did something great, his brother Mike, who suffered from a ALS, had a bucket list, he couldn't complete himself, he passed away in 2015. So Royd completed the bucket list for him. To finance that, he was at comic cons. His brother had asked him, to begin the journey dressed as Gandalf, he did it. It was the original costume from Sir Ian McKellen Peter Jackson send to him to support the project. He's trying to help and supports research on MND like ALS using his name. In a way, I think, J.R.R. Tolkien would have supported that.

[weltervids]

In high school I had a teacher that tried to make the class examine examples of allegory in "The Hobbit." It was from that point on I knew the teacher had no idea what she was teaching. I turned in a piece of paper with with Tolkien's infamous quote,

"I cordially dislike allegory in all its manifestations, and always have done so since I grew old and wary enough to detect its presence. I much prefer history – true or feigned– with its varied applicability to the thought and experience of readers. I think that many confuse applicability with allegory, but the one resides in the freedom of the reader, and the other in the purposed domination of the author."

I did not receive the A I deserved.




Because I didn't properly cite my quote.

[edwardtaub]

After reading books consistently during my 66 years of life, The Lord of the Rings remains my all-time favorite. Thank you for the excellent biography of this wonderful author.

[Son-of-the-Mother-Aya]

The Lord of the Rings series of book saw me through some of the darkest times in my life. Sometimes all that kept me going was the line "courage is often found in unlikely places."

[midnite_rambler]

Tolkien was the single biggest influence on me as far as people go.
I read LOTR when I was in 5th grade at primary school after the school librarian got it in for me to read. (I was a prodigious reader and she thought the book so big it would take me months to read it.) I was forever grateful as it awakened in me a love of myth, ancient history, fantasy, and etymology. Those loves have guided my life ever since. Though circumstance has not given me a chance to do much with any of it, sadly.

[PREPFORIT]

A Great Man
A Great Genius
An amazing Author.

[squamish]

"I never called Edith Luthien – but she was the source of the story that in time became the chief part of the Silmarillion. It was first conceived in a small woodland glade filled with hemlocks at Roos in Yorkshire (where I was for a brief time in command of an outpost of the Humber Garrison in 1917, and she was able to live with me for a while). In those days her hair was raven, her skin clear, her eyes brighter than you have seen them, and she could sing – and dance. But the story has gone crooked, & I am left, and _I_ cannot plead before the inexorable Mandos."

(Mandos is the god of the underworld in Tolkien's mythos, whom Luthien pleads with to bring Beren back from the dead.)

[Pegas]

The irony of Tolkien's work is that he wrote it as the antithesis of commercial fiction as he saw no real commercial prospects since he was purely writing for himself. But he was able to recognize the law of unintended consequences when Lord of Rings was really gaining popularity in the 60s and how people were taking it to an extreme. Yet his work has become a real cashcow.

[Moonbeam]

Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.

[Barry]

I didn't even know that J.R.R. Tolkien attended the school I'm attending right now!

[lilyfae]

Formative years: 1:01
Lúthien and Beren (His wife) : 5:22
The Great War: 7:57
The Professor: 10:37
The Storyteller: 13:05
Accomplishments & Legacy: 18:07

[lindaaumiller]

I thoroughly love your channel! keep teaching us

[dudeonthasopha]

I don't have time to explain why, but his work on constructed languages is absolutely incredible.

[jamescoffey]

I went from comic books to literature one very long, very hot summer. The nearest almost bookshop was 30 miles away, and it sold more magazines, smoking goods, and candy than books. My father took me once every few weeks to get a new comic and some candy while he reused the adult fiction in the back. My father let me get a copy of "The Fellowship of the Ring" and "Dune" on the same day, instead of the comics and candy. I read both over the next week, causing my parents to worry if I were sick.

The little shop didn't get a copy of "The Two Towers" for almost a year. I think that was the longest year of my life. A year later, my father brought home a copy of "The Return of the King" from a business trip.

Since then, I've read "The Hobbit", "The Lord of the Rings", and "The Silmarillion" every year or two. Many other books have been added my library over the years, and I finally had to switch to a Kindle from lack of places to keep them all. The first thing I bought for my new Kindle was a complete set of the works of Tolkien. I still have 3 traditional print versions, too, but you never know when they won't come back from a loan.

[catharinepizzarello]

I loved Tolkien’s works as a child. I read the Hobbit and the Trilogy. He engaged my imagination and inspired me. Reading allows me to set my imagination free. I was happy to learn about his life. Thank you, Simon.

[OldglenSea-cwps]

Tolkien. For me, the greatest fantasy writer ever.