The preceding information is just one of the fascinating tidbits included in the book, TOLKIEN: HOW AN OBSCURE PROFESSOR WROTE THE HOBBIT AND BECAME THE MOST BELOVED AUTHOR OF THE CENTURY. Devin Brown has taken information from numerous biographies and records and gathered them into a kind of Tolkien primer that is a delight to read.

While I don't consider myself an actual "ringer," I do profess myself to be a loyal Tolkien fan and with the exception of only one or two, so is everyone in my family. As I read TOLKIEN, I found myself sharing little gems from the life of the author. It's one of those kinds of books.

Devin Brown has written an extremely accessible and quick reading book—after all, it is only 192 pages, and packed with information about Tolkien's life. But it is even more. Mr. Brown takes the facts of Tolkien's life and connects them to instances in his books. For example, when Tolkien was in World War I, his company was at the Battle of the Somme. He describes the aftermath of the battle in a letter that clearly shows that it was his inspiration for the Dead Marshes in Lord of the Rings. A hiking trip to the Switzerland Alps, according to Tolkien himself, was behind the idea of the Misty Mountains. These and many more instances are included in the book.

Besides the facts and the connections in Tolkien's works, Brown has also paid tribute to the universal truth present in all of Tolkien's writings—that every life has meaning even if it seems to be an unimportant one. Tolkien fans and those who want to know more about this fascinating man will enjoy reading TOLKIEN. It's a quick and enjoyable read.

Book Summary