I find it so lovely that even as a lifelong Tolkien fan, I can still find new things to learn about him. I really enjoyed this compilation of Tolkien history. Beautifully laid out and comprehensive, I think it's a useful and fun resource for new and old fans alike!

Thank you to NetGalley and Adams Media for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

As a follower of Don Marshall, I'm excited to see him foray into this biography of one of my favorite authors ever! This was a delightfully easy read that I found fun and interesting, providing new depth on who Tolkien was and his history. A book I would gift to any Tolkien fan!

A nice overview of J.R.R. Tolkien. Wish it was longer or more comprehensive, but did what it was trying to do. Easy to leaf through.

I must be one of the few that has never read any of the Tolkien books, nor have I ever watched a movie adaptation of them.
That’s the main reason I was so intrigued by this book, when I came across it on NetGalley.
Being a nonfiction writer I wondered about his life and how such fantastical tales could grow alive in someone mind.

As the author refers to him, Tolkien has been called the father of modern fantasy because of his work. His fantastical life and excerpts from his craft are to be found in this book. Tolkien was an author, a philologist, college professor, a poet and an illustrator.
His name J.R.R. Tolkien is actually authentic, given at birth. I always assumed it must have been a pen name, but I was wrong.

Religion had an important part in his life growing up, which translated into his work: good vs evil, the afterlife, heaven & earth.
Other similarities he put into his work, taking from his life are: being an orphan, father figure, losing friends (loss and sacrifice) and lasting friendship.
Besides being an orphan early on, and fighting in WW I his life was quite standard: married, four kids, and a steady job.

His mother passed a great love for language on him, so he created the Elvish language (and many others) for his tales about Middle Earth.
He became a renowned professor teaching about the English language and continuing to work on old English works.
After his passing, his youngest son Christopher took over his legacy and finished some of his unfinished works.

Tolkien’s works are still a hype amongst loyal Fantasy readers worldwide, they have two specific dates that are of meaning to their fandom:
March 25th and September 22nd. Keep these dates in mind while scrolling online in those periods, you’ll see the Tolkien legacy arise.

I enjoyed the read, which was smooth and comprehensive, even for a Tolkien newbie as me.
As for the questions I had beforehand, I’m just mesmerized by the level of imagination one can have in his mind, without clear source.
Must be yet another proof that Magic exists.

Thank you for the opportunity.

A very detailed and informative biography on Tolkiens life and works!
Had a lot of popular stories I've heard and a lot of new stories and information I've never heard before.
Perfect if you're a fan of Tolkien's works and want to know more about him, or just a good biography to learn more about a famous author and how his stories came to be.
Has some information as well from super current events happening with the Tolkien estate and adaptations happening soon!