author
J. R. R. (John Ronald Reuel) Tolkien
1892–1973
Best known for creating Middle-earth, this Oxford scholar turned a deep love of language, myth, and old stories into some of the most enduring fantasy ever written. His books invite readers into richly imagined worlds that feel both ancient and startlingly alive.
1 Audiobook
A Middle English Vocabulary, Designed for use with Sisam's Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose
by J. R. R. (John Ronald Reuel) Tolkien
About the author
Born in Bloemfontein on January 3, 1892, and raised in England, Tolkien became both a celebrated writer and a distinguished academic. He studied at Oxford, served in the First World War, and later taught at the University of Oxford, where he was a professor of Anglo-Saxon and then of English language and literature.
He is best known for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, works that helped shape modern fantasy. His lifelong fascination with languages, legend, and medieval literature fed directly into the histories, cultures, and invented tongues of Middle-earth, giving his fiction an unusual depth and texture.
Tolkien died on September 2, 1973, but his influence only grew after his lifetime. Posthumous publications, including The Silmarillion, opened even more of his imagined world to readers, and his stories continue to inspire new generations across books, film, and art.