[.ca] J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography (ISBN 0618057021)

From Amazon.com:
There may be a corner of the world where the name J.R.R. Tolkien is unknown, but you would be hard-pressed to find it. Since their publication, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings have been published in every major language of the world. And though he single-handedly gave a mythology to the English and was beloved by millions, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien remained refreshingly unchanged by his fame and fortune, living out his days simply and modestly among the familiar surroundings of Oxford College. Humphrey Carpenter, who was given unrestricted access to Tolkien's papers, brilliantly puts meat to the bones of the Tolkien legend in J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography, offering a well-rounded portrayal of this quiet, bookish man who always saw himself first and foremost as a philologist, uncovering rather than creating the peoples, languages, and adventures of Middle-Earth. Carpenter chronicles Tolkien's early life with a special sensitivity; after losing both parents, Tolkien and his brother Hilary were taken from their idyllic life in the English countryside to a poverty-ridden existence in dark and sooty Birmingham. There were bright points, however. A social and cheerful lad, Tolkien enjoyed rugby and was proud of his gift for languages. It was also at this time that he met Edith Bratt, who would later become his wife. Academic life--both as a student and professor--is where this biography shines. Friendship with other men played a huge part in Tolkien's life, and Carpenter deftly reveals the importance these relationships--his complex friendship with C.S. Lewis, membership in the Inklings and the T.C.B.S.--had on the development of his writing. The only criticism one can make about this book is that Carpenter tends to gloss over Tolkien's contributions to comparative philology. True, there is a chapter devoted to Tolkien's academic pursuits, but it tends to skim too lightly over the surface for this reviewer's tastes. Philology is a terribly methodical science, and the author clearly did not want to alienate readers who were primarily interested in Tolkien as a storyteller. Still, it would be nice to understand why Tolkien was held in such high esteem by his fellow academics. As it stands, Tolkien comes off as a slightly eccentric etymologist. Fans who want to delve even deeper into Tolkien's life should pick up a copy of Carpenter's The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. --P.M. Atterberry

Tolkien:
The reason why I chose this book is because I respect Tolkien for all his accomplishments as an author and I wanted to know a little more about him then I already did. This Biography did a wonderful job of making me get to know Tolkien as a person through showing me his life. This book was entertaining... because I wanted to learn about Tolkien. It was also educational because I learned a lot about Tolkien and it was thought provoking because it made me think about the reasons certain things were in his stories and also what my life would be like if I had the motivations and drive to work for what I wanted just like he had. I recommend this book to any one who is interested in Tolkien in the slightest.

The Standard Biography:
This is the standard biography of Tolkien, and not just because Carpenter had the cooperation of the Tolkien family. He has presented a full picture of Tolkien's life and gets his facts straight. Without a doubt this is the best starting place for discovering the man behind the myth. On the other hand, there is a certain remoteness and lack of focus that prevents me from giving the book 5 stars. In trying to capture all facets of the man, Carpenter prevents any one from shing out brightly. The work is adequate on facts (the best I've seen) but short on insight. Not that biographies benefit from the drawing of daring conclusions from slender evidence, but after having read this one, one doesn't feel that one has gotten to know Tolkien better.

Many insights to what made him tick:
If you've loved Tolkien's books all your life, and wondered what kind of person it takes to come up with works of genius like The Lord Of The Rings, The Hobbit and The Silmarillion, this book will be just what you wanted. Carpenter makes illuminating connections, linking Tolkien's early fascination with languages to the fact that the author first studied languages with his mother (who died while he was quite young). That nostalgic attachment to language led him to a lifetime of study of all sorts of Scandinavian and Germanic myths and epics, which ultimately inspired him to create his own mythology. Carpenter also mentions that Leaf By Niggle, one of Tolkien's short stories, expressed his own bittersweet feelings about having spent most of his life writing the Silmarillion and Lord Of The Rings; especially given that advancing age made it increasingly unlikely that they would be finished in his lifetime. This was news to me, so I tracked down the story in a secondhand copy of The Tolkien Reader... it was really quite touching.

Good, but feels like something is missing . . .:
This is the only biography of Tolkien which I have read. It was good and I enjoyed it, but it feels like something was missing. Carpenter does a fine job of sketching the events of Tolkien's life and there are plenty of quotations from letters and diaries, and I now understand a little more about the actual creation of Tolkien's mythology and the production of The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and The Simarillion . . . and yet, I still feel like I don't know Tolkien that well. The author fails to provide the emotional connection with Tolkien and his world that would make this biography really excellent.

Entertaining Biography:
A wonderful book that captures the essence and life of Mr. Tolkien, Rhythmically paced read as well as extremely informative. More focused on the man rather than his works. A must read.