Tolkien's Biography - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Beren87 · 03-22-2002, 08:18 AM

I noticed that there are quite a lot of questions asked about Tolkien's life, peronal motivation, and the works; that could be aswered simply by reading the biography.
I specificaly suggest the one by Humphrey Carpenter. It is a very good book, as far as biographies go.
So, I was wondering hom many people have actually read it, and what are your thoughts on it?

[ March 22, 2002: Message edited by: Beren87 ]

Raefindel · 03-22-2002, 01:17 PM

I bought a Tolkien Biography on DVD.

Belin · 03-23-2002, 08:16 AM

I read that book, and it did begin to answer some questions for me. But doesn't seem that, to get the whole story (not that THAT's something we can ever plan on really knowing), we ought to read more than one? Different biographies probably focus on different things, and the juxtaposition of them could probably tell us a lot. (So now I feel like I need to read another one...ah, the endlessly streching line of books ahead of me......)

.....I myself actually find that what's really useful is to read "On Fairy-Tales".

mark12_30 · 03-04-2003, 10:45 PM

Raefindel-- (Hi!!!) What was the title of that DVD biography that you bought of TOlkien?

(And how ARE you?)

03-22-2002, 08:18 AM	#1
Beren87 Master of the Secret Fire Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Between fire and ice, death and life Posts: 2,241	Tolkien's Biography I noticed that there are quite a lot of questions asked about Tolkien's life, peronal motivation, and the works; that could be aswered simply by reading the biography. I specificaly suggest the one by Humphrey Carpenter. It is a very good book, as far as biographies go. So, I was wondering hom many people have actually read it, and what are your thoughts on it? [ March 22, 2002: Message edited by: Beren87 ]

03-22-2002, 01:17 PM	#2
Raefindel Sword of the Spirit Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Washington State Posts: 1,313	I bought a Tolkien Biography on DVD. __________________ Blessed be the Lord my Strength, Who trained my hands for war and my fingers to fight. Psallm 144:1

03-23-2002, 08:16 AM	#3
Belin Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: all the wide unfriendly pathways of the world Posts: 330	I read that book, and it did begin to answer some questions for me. But doesn't seem that, to get the whole story (not that THAT's something we can ever plan on really knowing), we ought to read more than one? Different biographies probably focus on different things, and the juxtaposition of them could probably tell us a lot. (So now I feel like I need to read another one...ah, the endlessly streching line of books ahead of me......) .....I myself actually find that what's really useful is to read "On Fairy-Tales". __________________ "I hate dignity," cried Scraps, kicking a pebble high in the air and then trying to catch it as it fell. "Half the fools and all the wise folks are dignified, and I'm neither the one nor the other." --L. Frank Baum

03-04-2003, 10:45 PM	#4
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	Raefindel-- (Hi!!!) What was the title of that DVD biography that you bought of TOlkien? (And how ARE you?) __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.