My favourite writer - Tolkien

Biography

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa on 3rd January 1892. His parents came from Birmingham, England and were staying in South Africa for business. In 1896 he returned with his mother and brother to England and stayed there because of father’s death. He spend childhood in Warwickshire village, on Gracewell Road. In 1900 Tolkien gained a place at King’s Edwards School in Birmingham. Birmingham was placed 4 miles from his village and Tolkien’s family moved there. In 1904 his mother became ill with diabetes and died. After, he lived in lodging found by Father Francis at the home of a Mrs Faulkner, wher he introduced with girl named Edith. In 1911, Tolkien applied himself to his studies at King Edwards and obtained a scholarship to Qxford University, to study languages. When he became 21, he again contacted with Edith. They planned to marry. In August 1914, the First World War broke out and Tolkien was able to complete his degree in June 1915, but he soon had to leave with the troops. He was sent to the Westrn Front, just before the Battle of the Somme. After four months he caught trench-fever and was returned to England. Tolkien recovered and stayed with Edith at Great haywood in Staffordshire. He became to write Silmarillion. In 1925 Tolkien returned to Oxford as Professor of Anglo-Saxon. He lived on 20 Northmoor Road, and it was home for he for most of his working life. During this time he wrote The Hobbit, published in 1937, and The Lord of the Rings, published in 1954-55. Tolkien died on 2nd September 1973.

Bibliography
1922 - A middle English dictionary
1925 - Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
(translation of a medieval tale, made in collaboration with E. V. Gordon)
1936 - Beowulf: the Monster and the Critics
1938 - The Hobbit
1939 - On Fairy-stories
1945 - Leaf by Niggle
1945 - The Lay of Aotrou
1953 - The return of Beorhnoth son of Beorthelm
1954 - The fellowship of the ring
1955 - The two towers
1956 - The return of the king
1962 - The adventures of Tom Bombadil
1964 - Tree and Leaf
1967 - Smith of Wootton Major
1967 - Farmer Giles of Ham
1977 - The Silmarillion
1980 - Unfinished tales

Movies based on Tolkien’s stories

1978 – The Lord of the Rings ( I and II part )
1978 – The Hobbit
1980 – The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
2001 – The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
2002 – The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers
2003 – The Lord of the Rings: Return of The King

“The Lord of the Rings” summary

The Fellowship of the Ring is the first book in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. This story is set in the world of Tolkien's invention, known as Middle Earth. A specter of evil is looming over Middle Earth as the Dark Lord, Sauron, seeks to consolidate his already immense power, by reclaiming the One Ring that he has lost. Most of his power is held in this ring. With this power, he can enslave Middle Earth and unleash an incredible evil with little opposition. In the story of The Hobbit, a hobbit called Bilbo Baggins has stolen the ring from a hideous creature called Gollum. Somehow, this ring ends up with Frodo Baggins, Bilbo's nephew and all of a sudden, Frodo is at the center of this epic drama involving the ring that he knows very little about.

The wizard, Gandalf, warns Frodo that he should leave the shire and keep the ring out of Sauron's hands. They meet a fellow named Tom Bombadil who helps them get out of trouble when they are faced with the Nine Black Riders. Later, they meet Strider/Aragorn and they continue safely to the country of the elves. Frodo recuperates from a wound and he is healed by Elrond. At the Council of Elrond it is decided that the ring must be destroyed at the Cracks of Doom. This is many miles away, deep inside the evil lands of Mordor. The Fellowship of the ring is established, including nine individuals in all.

Gandalf meets his end on the Bridge of Khazad-dum, attempting to defend the company from the evil Balrog. The group must continue without him, heading south, into Lorien, a forest of elves. Here, the Lady Galadriel offers comfort and security for a time. Frodo grows in knowledge and maturity and he becomes more resolved to fulfill his mission. His resolve is further tested when Boromir tries to steal the ring from him. In the end, Frodo knows that he must fulfill his duty but he does not want to endanger his friends any further, nor does he want to solicit their opinions for he knows that they will change his mind. In the end, Frodo continues alone - though Sam soon finds him and refuses to do anything other than accompany him, heading towards the evil land of Mordor.

Why I like reading Tolkien’s stories

I like reading Tolkien, because his stories talk about world another than our one. They are absorbing and rich in new characters, rarely used in other stories ( elves, orcs, dwarves etc. ). Landscape descriptions move us to Middle Earth and we became engrossed very deep in story. Frodo, Bilbo and Gandalf become nearly a real characters. I’ve never read another book which has magic such as this in The Lord of the Rings or Hobbit.