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The Platypus Reads Part II

As I continue to process our grand trek through The Lord of the Rings, I thought that I'd share some helpful resources for those interested in delving deeper into Tolkien's world.

The first is the indispensable biography by Humphrey Carpenter: J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography. To date, this is the only "authorized" biography, and it is the best of any that I am aware of. Carpenter explores his subject with care and dignity. He makes no attempts to sensationalize a rather mundane(for his generation) life, while avoiding a sort of "hagiography" devoid of any mention of Tolkien's quirks and struggles. The portrait that emerges is of a middle class college professor, quiet, friendly, incurably nerdy, highly intelligent, a bit thin-skinned, often melancholy, devoted to his family, and completely unremarkable where it not for the fact that out of his ordinary life came the most extraordinary work of the 20th century.

The second book is the equally indispensable Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Humphrey Carpenter with the assistance of Christopher Tolkien. Here, Tolkien is allowed, more or less, to speak for himself. The letters provide a wealth of insights into the origin, creation, author's interpretations, and details of The Lord of the Rings, as well as casting another light on Tolkien himself.

Third on the list is Tom Shippey's J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century. Shippey is of particular interest as a commentator on Tolkien because he taught from Tolkien's curriculum at both Leeds and Oxford. Shippey has also placed himself in the role of Tolkien's defender in modern academia, a world often completely hostile to Tolkien's project and values. While neither a Catholic, nor a Christian, Shippey defends Tolkien's achievement with the upmost vigor in a way that is accessible to both the specialist and the non-specialist alike.

The final book on this list, and the one that I've just finished a second read through is Rose A Zimbardo and Neil D. Isaacs' collection Understanding The Lord of the Rings: The Best of Tolkien Criticism. This collection of essays presents a wide range of material from C.S. Lewis' original review of the trilogy to Tom Shippey's analysis of Peter Jackson's film adaptations. The essays very in style and accessibility providing material for the trained scholar and popular reader alike.

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