J. R. R. Tolkien

A Biography

By: Humphrey Carpenter

Narrated by: Roger May

The original authorised biography, and the only one written by an author who actually met J.R.R. Tolkien, released for the first time on audio.

In more than 40 years since Tolkien’s death in September 1973, millions have read The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion and become fascinated about the very private man behind the books.

Born in Bloemfontein in January 1892, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was orphaned in childhood, brought up in near-poverty and almost thwarted in adolescent romance. He served in the First World War, surviving the Battle of the Somme, where he lost some of his closest friends, and returned to academic life, achieving high repute as a scholar and university teacher, eventually becoming Merton Professor of English at Oxford.

Then suddenly his life changed dramatically. One day while marking essay papers he found himself writing ‘In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit’ – and worldwide renown awaited him.

Humphrey Carpenter was given unrestricted access to all Tolkien’s papers, and interviewed his friends and family. From these sources he follows the long and painful process of creation that produced The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion and offers a wealth of information about the life and work of the twentieth century’s most cherished author.

Critic reviews

‘One of the most interesting and readable biographies of a literary figure.’ The Times

‘The story is rich and beautifully told.’ Sunday Times

‘Absolutely fascinating.’ Daily Mail

‘A painstaking and often moving account.’ Times Literary Supplement

‘Humphrey Carpenter’s plain, unvarnished tale is absolutely gripping.’ Times Literary Supplement

Authentically Oxford

Humphrey Carpenter does a wonderful job describing Tolkien's world, especially Oxford, and he is especially good at capturing the background note of high grumpiness, which Oxford dons are known for. The narration is superb and itself very English.

Excellently done!

The contents of the book are fantastic but, as I am listening, I am much more impressed with the quality of the narration. It is really one of the best I have encountered so far!

Good but not Amazing

JRR Tolkien was not the most interesting man so it's no wonder that his biography is not the most riveting. Still, if you are the type to like the stories of ordinary people who make extraordinary things give it a go.

Deep Insight, Masterfully Narrated

An excellent deep dive I to the mind and experiences of the author J. R. R. Tolkien. It is a masterpiece and for me hands down the most comprehensive and relevant biography of a man I admire and relate to so well, in spite of our differences.

A must read

A must read for any Tolkien fan. An excellent biography. Very well told and well written.