T is for the History of Middle-earth and Tolkien's son Christopher (A to Z on Tolkien and the Inklings)
is for Christopher Tolkien,Tolkien's youngest son and, later, editor and publisher of many posthumous works, plus the 12-volume History of Middle-Earth series.[Reminder: Don't forget to keep commenting, for your chance to win in my 1000 posts contest!]
There is a LOT of Tolkien we'd never have seen, if not for the tireless efforts of Christopher!
Christopher Tolkien talks about his father:
Christopher Tolkien talks about his father and languages:
Christopher Tolkien talks about The Silmarillion:
Christopher Tolkien read the end of The Lord of the Rings:
I like this entry from C. S. Lewis's brother's diary in 1946 (quoted in Humphrey Carpenter's The Inklings):
"'An exquisitely lovely spring day. [To] the Bird and Baby as usual in the morning, where I had started on my second pint before J [C. S. Lewis] arrive. When Humbhrey [Harvard] came, he suggested an adjournement to the Trout at Godstow; which, picking up Christopher Tolkien on the way, we did, and there drank beer in the sunlight. The beauty of the whole scene was almost theatrical, and that notrhing might be lacking to show off the warm grey of the old inn, there was a pair of peacocks.'"
Peacock in the Geneva Botanical Gardens
Doesn't that sound an idyllic afternoon?
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I can just imagine what he'd do if I tried to show up on his doorstep. Nah, I was thinking more along the lines of maybe just hanging around whichever village it is, having a coffee, buying some bread from the local bakery, and hoping to spot him in the distance...
His apparent lack of travel – he did return from South Africa when he was three - I expect some of Africa would have rubbed off from visitors and perhaps his mother's memories (though the spider bite was very unpleasant) – and that must have influenced his understanding of landscape …
His languages … one of the greatest readers of secondary world, and then the philology of the fantasies … must maintain the academic necessity of his fantasy languages … then composed those languages with historical accurateness …
Silmarillion .. the central work of his secondary world. His little notebooks are amazing … and being written in the trenches – where he notes his first tale ‘Original Silmarillion’ … and that he wrote more Silmarillions … also that the Hobbit was not linked with the mythology (Silmarillion) .. and was for amusement … this third video – is fascinating too …
Also that perhaps to finish everything off … his own constraints and preciseness with his various tales … it was too much for him to completely tie everything in … tidy it all up – as he’d need to do that …
The Lord of the Rings … that last part read by Christopher Tolkien … just helps us understand even more …
Wonderful afternoon … sitting in the dappled shade, warmed by the summer warmth … enjoying the company, nature abuzzing around …
I do hope you can do that … get near the village – settle in for a light lunch and hopefully catch a glimpse of Tolkien’s son …
Wonderful post – cheers Hilary
His apparent lack of travel – he did return from South Africa – and that must have influenced his understanding of landscape …
His languages … one of the greatest readers of secondary world, and then the philology of the fantasies … must maintain the academic necessity of his fantasy languages … then composed those languages with historical accurateness …
Silmarillion .. the central work of his secondary world. His little notebooks are amazing … and being written in the trenches – where he notes his first tale ‘Original Silmarillion’ … and that he wrote more Silmarillions … also that the Hobbit was not linked with the mythology (Silmarillion) .. and was for amusement … this third video – is fascinating too …
Also that perhaps to finish everything off … his own constraints and preciseness with his various tales … it was too much for him to completely tie everything in … tidy it all up – as he’d need to do that …
The Lord of the Rings … that last part read by Christopher Tolkien … just helps us understand even more …
Wonderful afternoon … sitting in the dappled shade, warmed by the summer warmth … just enjoying the company, nature abuzzing around …
I do hope you can do that … get near the village – settle in for a light lunch and hopefully catch a glimpse of Tolkien’s son …
Wonderful post – cheers Hilary