
J. R. R. Tolkien
A Biography
Humphrey Carpenter(Author)
HarperCollins (Publisher)
Will be published approx. on 12. February 2026
Book
Hardback
384 pages
978-0-00-880529-6 (ISBN)
Description
The only authorised biography, and the only one written by an author who actually met J.R.R. Tolkien, now reissued as a deluxe edition housed in a matching custom-built slipcase and featuring the original 16 pages of photographic plates illustrating the author's life.
In more than 40 years since Tolkien's death in September 1973, millions have read The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion and become fascinated about the very private man behind the books.
Born in Bloemfontein in January 1892, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was orphaned in childhood, brought up in near-poverty and almost thwarted in adolescent romance. He served in the First World War, surviving the Battle of the Somme, where he lost some of his closest friends, and returned to academic life, achieving high repute as a scholar and university teacher, eventually becoming Merton Professor of English at Oxford.
Then suddenly his life changed dramatically. One day while marking essay papers he found himself writing 'In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit' - and worldwide renown awaited him.
Humphrey Carpenter was given unrestricted access to all Tolkien's papers, and interviewed his friends and family. From these sources he follows the long and painful process of creation that produced The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion and offers a wealth of information about the life and work of the twentieth century's most cherished author.
In more than 40 years since Tolkien's death in September 1973, millions have read The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion and become fascinated about the very private man behind the books.
Born in Bloemfontein in January 1892, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was orphaned in childhood, brought up in near-poverty and almost thwarted in adolescent romance. He served in the First World War, surviving the Battle of the Somme, where he lost some of his closest friends, and returned to academic life, achieving high repute as a scholar and university teacher, eventually becoming Merton Professor of English at Oxford.
Then suddenly his life changed dramatically. One day while marking essay papers he found himself writing 'In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit' - and worldwide renown awaited him.
Humphrey Carpenter was given unrestricted access to all Tolkien's papers, and interviewed his friends and family. From these sources he follows the long and painful process of creation that produced The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion and offers a wealth of information about the life and work of the twentieth century's most cherished author.
Reviews / Votes
'One of the most interesting and readable biographies of a literary figure.' The Times'The story is rich and beautifully told.' Sunday Times
'Absolutely fascinating.' Daily Mail
'A painstaking and often moving account.' Times Literary Supplement
'Humphrey Carpenter's plain, unvarnished tale is absolutely gripping.' Times Literary Supplement
More details
Edition
Deluxe Slipcased edition
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers
Edition type
Special edition
Illustrations
8 b/w, plates (8pp), Index
Dimensions
Height: 283 mm
Width: 169 mm
Thickness: 52 mm
Weight
1248 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-00-880529-6 (9780008805296)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
04/2011
HarperCollins
€8.99
Available for download
Person
Humphrey Carpenter was born in Oxford in 1946 and has spent most of his life in that city. He read English Language and Literature at Keble College, Oxford, and met Professor J.R.R. Tolkien on a number of occasions. For some years he worked for the BBC as a radio producer and broadcaster and won acclaim as a top biographer, including books on W.H.Auden, Evelyn Waugh, Robert Runcie and Spike Milligan. He died in 2005.