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Christian Encounters Series
J. R. R. Tolkien
Christian Encounters, a series of biographies from Thomas Nelson Publishers, highlights important lives from all ages and areas of the Church. Some are familiar faces. Others are unexpected guests. But all, through their relationships, struggles, prayers, and desires, uniquely illuminate our shared experience. Born in South Africa and growing up in Great Britain, J.R.R. Tolkien, or Ronald as he was known, led a young life filled with uncertainty and instability. His was not a storybook childhood- his father died when Ronald was three years old, and his mother died just before he reached adolescence. Left under the guardianship of his mother's friend and priest, Ronald forged his closest relationships with friends who shared his love for literature and languages. As Tolkien grew older, married, served as a soldier, and became a well-respected Oxford professor publishing weighty works on Sir Gawain and the Green Knigh t and Beowulf , the Christian faith that his mother had instilled in him continued as an intrinsic element of his creative imagination and his everyday life. It was through The Hobbit and the three-volume The Lord of the Rings that Tolkien became a literary giant throughout the world. In his fiction, which earned him the informal title of "the father of modern fantasy literature," Tolkien presents readers with a vision of freedom- nothing preachy- that a strong, unequivocal faith can transmit.
144 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2011
18 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Mark Horne
13 books13 followersMark Horne was born in Melbourne, Florida, but has also lived in Liberia, West Africa, and Kwajalein, Marshall Islands before graduating from high school. After graduating from Houghton College in Western, NY, in 1989, Mark worked for American Vision, Coral Ridge Ministries, and co-authored two books with George Grant. After living in Nashville, TN, where he worked as a writer/editor for Legacy Communications, Mark attended Covenant Theological Seminary here in Saint Louis and earned his M.Div. degree in 1998. Mark has pastored two congregations since his seminary graduation, and he returned here to serve as Assistant Pastor in January 2005. Mark is a prolific writer and the author of a layperson's commentary on the Gospel of Mark.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
March 9, 2023
I learned a lot about Tolkien’s life from this book and am very glad I listened to it. The narrator’s voice wasn’t difficult to listen to and I loved the “shout out” of the author’s top five favorite resources for researching this book.
I kind of wish it was a tad longer, I would have liked a little more digging into various parts of his life.
4, now I want to re-read LOTR again, stars.
My thanks to libro.fm and Thomas Nelson for an eAudio book to listen to and review.
I kind of wish it was a tad longer, I would have liked a little more digging into various parts of his life.
4, now I want to re-read LOTR again, stars.
My thanks to libro.fm and Thomas Nelson for an eAudio book to listen to and review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2022
I've read three or four Lewis bios, but none of Tolkien, so I enjoyed this intro to his life. My favorite bit of trivia is that among the publishers' representatives Tolkien corresponded with were a Colin Firth and a William Collins, and that William Collins ultimately rejected LOTR. Figures!
The narration was fine, but I do wish they hadn't felt the need to have a Brit do it. Sure, Tolkien was British, but Mark Horne is not, and these are his words, so the reader should represent his voice.
The narration was fine, but I do wish they hadn't felt the need to have a Brit do it. Sure, Tolkien was British, but Mark Horne is not, and these are his words, so the reader should represent his voice.
May 31, 2020
A good biography of Tolkien, quality, though not in-depth. It sketches his life, work, marriage, friendships, and authorship. Note: It is specifically written from a Christian perspective and one that highlights connections to Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Tolkien lost his father at a young age, and studies show that people who have lost one or both parents are highly represented among creative people.
One of his earliest memories was his attempt to write a story about a dragon, and being told my his mother that is was "great green dragon" instead of what he wrote, "green great dragon"; he was intrigued as to why language had to work this way.
All the Kindred's of the Mark (William Morris), a story about Germanic tribe featuring a forest of Mirkwood and a war duke named Thiodolf (close to Theoden!).
Tolkien was a perfectionist, with a high standard of self-criticism, hating failure, and avoided completing projects because doing so would mean that he was no longer being creative.
Tolkien read the Midgard of Norse mythology which became "Middle-Earth". He formed the Kolbitar, Viking Club at Oxford.
Tolkien thought Lewis shouldn't have mixed metaphors with his faun Mr. Tumnus and Father Christmas in the Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe from Narnia.
It is likely that rather than escaping from reality (with fictional epic fantasy novels), readers feel that the stories portray a reality that gives them tools or encouragement for living in the modern world. e.g. Dealing with temptation of power, fighting for what's right, persevering in faithfulness, and many other issues in Lord of the Rings.
Tolkien lost his father at a young age, and studies show that people who have lost one or both parents are highly represented among creative people.
One of his earliest memories was his attempt to write a story about a dragon, and being told my his mother that is was "great green dragon" instead of what he wrote, "green great dragon"; he was intrigued as to why language had to work this way.
All the Kindred's of the Mark (William Morris), a story about Germanic tribe featuring a forest of Mirkwood and a war duke named Thiodolf (close to Theoden!).
Tolkien was a perfectionist, with a high standard of self-criticism, hating failure, and avoided completing projects because doing so would mean that he was no longer being creative.
Tolkien read the Midgard of Norse mythology which became "Middle-Earth". He formed the Kolbitar, Viking Club at Oxford.
Tolkien thought Lewis shouldn't have mixed metaphors with his faun Mr. Tumnus and Father Christmas in the Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe from Narnia.
It is likely that rather than escaping from reality (with fictional epic fantasy novels), readers feel that the stories portray a reality that gives them tools or encouragement for living in the modern world. e.g. Dealing with temptation of power, fighting for what's right, persevering in faithfulness, and many other issues in Lord of the Rings.
March 22, 2025
A great little book of Christian encouragement for fans of Tolkien.
December 16, 2022
A great piece on Tolkien, especially looking at how his faith shaped his work. Most biographies of him only give that a bit here and there, so it was lovely to get more of how his work was influenced by that part of him.
July 19, 2011
A decent--if unimpressive--biography of Tolkien, ostensibly focused on his religious beliefs and the impact they had on his life and work. Based on this account, however, it seems that Tolkien, though a Christian, was less affected by his faith than by his relationships--with his wife, his children, and his various friends and colleagues. Horne portrays Tolkien as a gifted man (to the surprise of no one), but also conveys the idea that, as with many geniuses, he was irritatingly idiosyncratic and at times quite infuriating to those around him. The end result is a complex and full-bodied picture of a literary legend.
I was honestly surprised by the lack of information on Tolkien's faith, though that may not be the fault of the author. Horne identifies Tolkien as a Catholic, but his loyalty to that faith seems to have largely resulted from what he perceived as his mother's martyrdom and his close relationship to the priest who served as the guardian for Tolkien and his brother after their mother's death. It seems that it was this relational loyalty, rather than any particular theological conviction, that lead him to pressure his future wife to convert to the Catholic faith prior to their marriage.
However, I was encouraged to read about some of Tolkien's more annoying attributes (geniuses--they're just like us!), and was struck by his wife's patience with the man--first converting to Catholicism (a faith she never fully embraced) and then living and moving in academic circles (another source of discomfort for her) and enduring the 12 year wait for Tolkien to finally finish his three-part opus. While Tolkien may have referred to her as the Lúthien to his Beren (a romantic idea, to be sure), it had to be frustrating to deal with the day-to-day challenges of living with the man. This welcome glimpse into the reality of Tolkien's life and personality invigorated an otherwise unexceptional biography.
[NOTE: For more information on Tolkien, his life, his work, and the effect he's had on fantasy literature, I recommend The Modern Scholar's audio lectures Rings, Swords, and Monsters: Exploring Fantasy Literature, by Michael D.C. Drout.]
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I was honestly surprised by the lack of information on Tolkien's faith, though that may not be the fault of the author. Horne identifies Tolkien as a Catholic, but his loyalty to that faith seems to have largely resulted from what he perceived as his mother's martyrdom and his close relationship to the priest who served as the guardian for Tolkien and his brother after their mother's death. It seems that it was this relational loyalty, rather than any particular theological conviction, that lead him to pressure his future wife to convert to the Catholic faith prior to their marriage.
However, I was encouraged to read about some of Tolkien's more annoying attributes (geniuses--they're just like us!), and was struck by his wife's patience with the man--first converting to Catholicism (a faith she never fully embraced) and then living and moving in academic circles (another source of discomfort for her) and enduring the 12 year wait for Tolkien to finally finish his three-part opus. While Tolkien may have referred to her as the Lúthien to his Beren (a romantic idea, to be sure), it had to be frustrating to deal with the day-to-day challenges of living with the man. This welcome glimpse into the reality of Tolkien's life and personality invigorated an otherwise unexceptional biography.
[NOTE: For more information on Tolkien, his life, his work, and the effect he's had on fantasy literature, I recommend The Modern Scholar's audio lectures Rings, Swords, and Monsters: Exploring Fantasy Literature, by Michael D.C. Drout.]
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
August 20, 2011
Evaluation
This was a good but not great book. It gave a good sketch of the life of Tolkien. It gave a good explanation of how the experiences of Tolkien’s life effected his writing. However, it was simply too short. I really liked what was there but there just wasnt enough. The role of his friendships were mentioned but simply werent explored. The role of Edith was explained in terms of their courtship and there were some indications that she wasnt happy with the academic world that she was placed in, but after they were married there was little or no discussion. So a good book but I kept making mental notes of the names of the bios that Horne kept referencing, so that I could read them to get the rest of the story.
Takeaway
One of the things that really stuck out to me from this book was a new awareness of the perfectionism of Tolkien. I did not know that he kept rewriting and rewriting all of his books and actually struggled to finish any of his books. Where does this perfectionism come from. I would have liked this to be explored in this book, but this perfectionism nearly crippled his ability to write and this is sad since I would have liked more books from Tolkien. But how many of us suffer from a similar crippling perfectionism. How many of us are mediocre or struggling because we are unwilling to do our best and live with whatever that is. Any standing we have is by grace, our performance needn’t impress man because God loves us. And we can’t impress God because He knows us truly and completely and He already loves us with a perfect love. So let’s do our best and leave the results to God.
***
I want to thank Thomas Nelson for providing my review copy. I appreciated it, but did not allow it to influence my review.
This was a good but not great book. It gave a good sketch of the life of Tolkien. It gave a good explanation of how the experiences of Tolkien’s life effected his writing. However, it was simply too short. I really liked what was there but there just wasnt enough. The role of his friendships were mentioned but simply werent explored. The role of Edith was explained in terms of their courtship and there were some indications that she wasnt happy with the academic world that she was placed in, but after they were married there was little or no discussion. So a good book but I kept making mental notes of the names of the bios that Horne kept referencing, so that I could read them to get the rest of the story.
Takeaway
One of the things that really stuck out to me from this book was a new awareness of the perfectionism of Tolkien. I did not know that he kept rewriting and rewriting all of his books and actually struggled to finish any of his books. Where does this perfectionism come from. I would have liked this to be explored in this book, but this perfectionism nearly crippled his ability to write and this is sad since I would have liked more books from Tolkien. But how many of us suffer from a similar crippling perfectionism. How many of us are mediocre or struggling because we are unwilling to do our best and live with whatever that is. Any standing we have is by grace, our performance needn’t impress man because God loves us. And we can’t impress God because He knows us truly and completely and He already loves us with a perfect love. So let’s do our best and leave the results to God.
***
I want to thank Thomas Nelson for providing my review copy. I appreciated it, but did not allow it to influence my review.
October 21, 2022
This was a short biography of Tolkien that was offered this month (October ‘22) through the free audiobook program that Libro.fm offers booksellers.
I knew much of the content already, but who am I to turn down a free offering of Tolkien?
I knew much of the content already, but who am I to turn down a free offering of Tolkien?
July 23, 2015
This is a good, short biography of J.R.R. Tolkien that does a very good job of connecting his life to his writing. Horne clearly admires Tolkien, but he acknowledges his weaknesses and paints a very human picture of the man and his life.
There are surely more lengthy, and thorough accounts of his life, but for most, this will be a great way to learn more about him without having to dig into a book two or three times as long as this.
There are surely more lengthy, and thorough accounts of his life, but for most, this will be a great way to learn more about him without having to dig into a book two or three times as long as this.
May 29, 2020
Well done. He adds some details you might not find in any other book on Tolkien. It is short easy to read
I loved how he shared how his life experiences led to the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. If you are a Tolkien fan it is a must read
I loved how he shared how his life experiences led to the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. If you are a Tolkien fan it is a must read
August 4, 2011
I'd never read anything on Tolkien's life except for the bits that wandered into a C. S. Lewis bio or two. This was a great little way to get to know the man behind the masterpieces.
December 18, 2018
A short and enjoyable glimpse into the life of the genius who created Middle Earth.
He was Roman Catholic and it’s painted more of a loyalty to his mother than a deep theological belief. It made me sad that he pressured the woman he loved to convert to RCC in order to marry, and she never fully embraced the change but remained a professing Christian without deep involvement in the RCC.
I had no idea the timing and the struggles Tolkien had in writing and publishing.
The book was interesting in that it claimed he had a strong Christian Faith and desire to impact the world, but specifically through not trying to moralize (like CS Lewis) or preach through his writing, but let it move people on its own. He created a fantastic world and story through middle earth, but lacking in any sort of specific Christian Mark on the world.
And now I want to read the Silmarillion after all the talk of it in this book!
He was Roman Catholic and it’s painted more of a loyalty to his mother than a deep theological belief. It made me sad that he pressured the woman he loved to convert to RCC in order to marry, and she never fully embraced the change but remained a professing Christian without deep involvement in the RCC.
I had no idea the timing and the struggles Tolkien had in writing and publishing.
The book was interesting in that it claimed he had a strong Christian Faith and desire to impact the world, but specifically through not trying to moralize (like CS Lewis) or preach through his writing, but let it move people on its own. He created a fantastic world and story through middle earth, but lacking in any sort of specific Christian Mark on the world.
And now I want to read the Silmarillion after all the talk of it in this book!
December 3, 2023
I bought a newer version of this and had no idea it was a biography that focused on religion in Tolkien's life. The introduction had me very scared. It sounded like the abstract to a PhD thesis on religion in Tolkien's life but fortunately the book was more general. Horne did keep bringing up religion, but it often felt like a stretch and a bit out of place.
The overall book is very very short, and feels more like a long Wikipedia article than its own book. It is also somewhat disorganized at times. While it is mostly chronological, Horne sometimes surges ahead and then circles back.
Not a great book, but it was a very quick read.
The overall book is very very short, and feels more like a long Wikipedia article than its own book. It is also somewhat disorganized at times. While it is mostly chronological, Horne sometimes surges ahead and then circles back.
Not a great book, but it was a very quick read.
December 18, 2016
Excellent biography...
An excellent biography of J.R.R. Tolkien. I knew about some of his actions but reading Horne's biography of Tolkien answered some of the questions I still had about the writer of The Lord of the Rings...
An excellent biography of J.R.R. Tolkien. I knew about some of his actions but reading Horne's biography of Tolkien answered some of the questions I still had about the writer of The Lord of the Rings...
June 30, 2023
"Instead of being simplistic, Tolkien's epics provide exactly the mythic resource that people need to live in a complex world - dealing with the temptation of power, fighting for what is right, persevering faithfulness, and many other issues..."
August 13, 2024
Mooie inkijk in het leven van Tolkien. Gaat ook echt over de man, niet alleen over zijn werken. Dat gezegd hebbende: het biedt wel interessante inkijkjes in waar sommige ideeën in zijn boeken vandaan komen. Aanrader.
July 17, 2025
Nice concise introduction to Tolkien and some of the influences behind his writing. At times a bit speculative. But a good introduction to the author of one of the most enduring fantasy stories. The book includes a bibliography at the end that includes in depth biographies for further reading.
September 22, 2018
I wanted to know the man who gave the world ‘The Lord of the Rings’. I couldn’t stomach TLOTR. Had to watch the movies instead.
February 22, 2021
Good Read
March 2, 2021
A pleasant introduction to the outline of Tolkien's life and his legendarium. This book is rather brief and doesn't dig too deep into the details, which is just the light read I was looking for.
September 9, 2025
Basic little history book on Tolkien that profiled some of his literature and their influences and some of his academic roles. Didn’t say much about his family.
February 2, 2014
J. R. R. Tolkien is one of the most popular authors of modern times, and arguably the most popular author of fiction in the twentieth century. The question is, what lead to this? What were the factors that combined to form the basis of his epic? And finally, what was the meaning behind his tale?
In his book, *Christian Encounters: J. R. R. Tolkien*, author and pastor Mark Horne attempts to grapple with these questions. Up front, I have to preface this by saying that I greatly enjoyed one facet of the book that *may* cause some Tolkien fans to dismiss it. Mainly, the fact that Horne was actually willing to write about the negative aspects of Tolkien. As well, he was willing to write about the areas of Tolkien's political beliefs that most authors treat as quaint and narrow-minded. While not necessarily agreeing with these beliefs of Tolkien's, he still treats them respectfully, and makes an effort to fairly explain why Tolkien believed what he did believe.
Tolkien's childhood was filled with tragedy. He spent his first few years as a child in a relatively prosperous houselhold in South Africa. The crucial factor to consider is that it was "relatively" prosperous. When Tolkien and his brothers accompanied his mother to England, their father stayed behind to finish up some business matters before joining them. Unfortunately, the elder Tolkien fell sick, and later died in South Africa. After this point, the family was dependant upon the extended relations for help.
The sad part was that this help dried up when Tolkien's mother converted from the Anglican to the Roman Catholic Church. The family was denied any further financial assistance. Indeed, they were scorned, and when Tolkien's mother died a few years later, he viewed her as having been a martyr. She had worked herself to death, in his view, and likely in reality, in order to provide the children with a genuine Catholic education and upbringing. This view of Tolkien's about his mother's sacrifice would impact him later on.
This impact came with the situation of his wife to be, Edith. He insisted that she convert to the Catholic Church, and she agreed, but she also suffered for this choice. Though her family did not disown her, she still had a difficult time of it. She had no friends in the Church, and she had no friends in Tolkien's academic life. She was the faithful fiance, and later wife, of J. R. R. Tolkien, and didn't have as much of a social life as she should have had. This lead to some sadness on her part, and Tolkien certainly noticed it. Many folks have theorized, based on letters and statements by Tolkien, that the Beren and Luthien story was based upon her life, and sacrifice in marrying into Tolkien's Church. *That* was the source of Tolkien's inscription of Beren and Luthien on his and Edith's tombstone.
The other most significant aspect of Tolkien's early life was the advents of the two World Wars and the political changes wrought by them. while insisting that many of the ideas in the Middle-Earth Legendarium were from his imagination, he also admitted that they were influenced by his war experiences in the first World War, or the "Great War", as Tolkien always called it til his dying day. Moreover, his views on monarchy and government in general, the use of machines without morality to twist violate nature and commit evil, were influenced by rapid, and in Tolkien's view, inhumane, industrialization, as well as warfare.
The above is just a few of the insights that Horne gives his readers. While it is clear that he admires Tolkien, he is also able to criticize him, and to point to Tolkien's blame in the rift with C. S. Lewis. This really impressed me as i really humanized Tolkien and took away the cloak of hero-worship. This gave me the honest view of the man whom I truly admire, and am looking forward to seeing, in Heaven someday. Great book.
Highly Recommended.
-----
I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers. I am obligated to read it and give a review to the best of my ability. Thomas Nelson emphasizes their desire for honest reviews, whether positive or negative, in order to help them create a better product. The opinions above are my honest viewpoint. I want to thank Thomas Nelson for allowing me to review this book, and thank you all for reading this.
In his book, *Christian Encounters: J. R. R. Tolkien*, author and pastor Mark Horne attempts to grapple with these questions. Up front, I have to preface this by saying that I greatly enjoyed one facet of the book that *may* cause some Tolkien fans to dismiss it. Mainly, the fact that Horne was actually willing to write about the negative aspects of Tolkien. As well, he was willing to write about the areas of Tolkien's political beliefs that most authors treat as quaint and narrow-minded. While not necessarily agreeing with these beliefs of Tolkien's, he still treats them respectfully, and makes an effort to fairly explain why Tolkien believed what he did believe.
Tolkien's childhood was filled with tragedy. He spent his first few years as a child in a relatively prosperous houselhold in South Africa. The crucial factor to consider is that it was "relatively" prosperous. When Tolkien and his brothers accompanied his mother to England, their father stayed behind to finish up some business matters before joining them. Unfortunately, the elder Tolkien fell sick, and later died in South Africa. After this point, the family was dependant upon the extended relations for help.
The sad part was that this help dried up when Tolkien's mother converted from the Anglican to the Roman Catholic Church. The family was denied any further financial assistance. Indeed, they were scorned, and when Tolkien's mother died a few years later, he viewed her as having been a martyr. She had worked herself to death, in his view, and likely in reality, in order to provide the children with a genuine Catholic education and upbringing. This view of Tolkien's about his mother's sacrifice would impact him later on.
This impact came with the situation of his wife to be, Edith. He insisted that she convert to the Catholic Church, and she agreed, but she also suffered for this choice. Though her family did not disown her, she still had a difficult time of it. She had no friends in the Church, and she had no friends in Tolkien's academic life. She was the faithful fiance, and later wife, of J. R. R. Tolkien, and didn't have as much of a social life as she should have had. This lead to some sadness on her part, and Tolkien certainly noticed it. Many folks have theorized, based on letters and statements by Tolkien, that the Beren and Luthien story was based upon her life, and sacrifice in marrying into Tolkien's Church. *That* was the source of Tolkien's inscription of Beren and Luthien on his and Edith's tombstone.
The other most significant aspect of Tolkien's early life was the advents of the two World Wars and the political changes wrought by them. while insisting that many of the ideas in the Middle-Earth Legendarium were from his imagination, he also admitted that they were influenced by his war experiences in the first World War, or the "Great War", as Tolkien always called it til his dying day. Moreover, his views on monarchy and government in general, the use of machines without morality to twist violate nature and commit evil, were influenced by rapid, and in Tolkien's view, inhumane, industrialization, as well as warfare.
The above is just a few of the insights that Horne gives his readers. While it is clear that he admires Tolkien, he is also able to criticize him, and to point to Tolkien's blame in the rift with C. S. Lewis. This really impressed me as i really humanized Tolkien and took away the cloak of hero-worship. This gave me the honest view of the man whom I truly admire, and am looking forward to seeing, in Heaven someday. Great book.
Highly Recommended.
-----
I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers. I am obligated to read it and give a review to the best of my ability. Thomas Nelson emphasizes their desire for honest reviews, whether positive or negative, in order to help them create a better product. The opinions above are my honest viewpoint. I want to thank Thomas Nelson for allowing me to review this book, and thank you all for reading this.
August 1, 2011
The Christian Encounters series is a biographical series from Thomas Nelson Publishing House. The purpose of this series is to highlight the faith of each person presented. I am not a fan of biographies, having only read one my entire life (Bob Dylan) and not planning to read another. But then came along the chance to review the Christian Encounters book on J.R.R. Tolkien. Since the book was small and about someone I had more than a passing interest in, I decided to give it a go.
Mark Horne does an admiral job of highlighting Tolkien's life in just over 120 pages. The focus of the biography is to present readers with insight into Tolkien's life and the eventual development of his seminal works in the fantasy genre. Horne is quick to remind us that Tolkien was a believer in the Faith, but he never ventures more than that. Personally, I thought I would get to see more of Tolkien's faith in action, or at least some idea of how he believed. Instead, I'm reminded (more than once) that Tolkien was a "sincere" Roman Catholic, that he forced his wife to convert from Protestantism to Roman Catholicism, and that he raised his children in the Catholic church. One is left wondering what type of faith Tolkien really had. No doubt he believed, and Horne includes how Tolkien shared his faith with C.S. Lewis in hopes of convincing Lewis to abandon skepticism, but this about as much of the action as we get to see.
Instead, this brief biography spends a handful of pages for each era of Tolkien's life and reads like a Wikipedia article. We learn of his upbringing and his orphaning at an early age. We then follow Tolkien's examination process to gain entrance to school, and then further studies to become a professor at Oxford. We read about the Great War and its affects on Tolkien, and then suddenly we're diving through publishing and finishing his works. All in all, if one is not looking for depth (and truly, I can't say that I was), then this little book is great for a casual Sunday afternoon read. Its brevity is testament to that. But if one is looking for a more thorough examination of Tolkien's life, there are definitely more available biographies of the man out there. (Horne cites these quite often, and lists the books in the back of his work for further reading.)
All in all, it was an interesting experience to read about J.R.R. Tolkien. I'm still not much of a fan of biographies, but I didn't expect to be won over by this, either. If you're looking for some lite-Tolkien bio, Mark Horne's J.R.R. Tolkien in the Christian Encounters series is it. Otherwise, look for something deeper.
*FTC Thingy: This book was provided free of charge. Yep, I didn't have to pay for it. All I had to do was read it and write an honest review. I'm required by law to post this FTC Review Thingy for tax purposes or something. So I like to change it up every time I tack it onto the books I receive. I also like requesting baked goods, but as of yet, no one's obliged.
Mark Horne does an admiral job of highlighting Tolkien's life in just over 120 pages. The focus of the biography is to present readers with insight into Tolkien's life and the eventual development of his seminal works in the fantasy genre. Horne is quick to remind us that Tolkien was a believer in the Faith, but he never ventures more than that. Personally, I thought I would get to see more of Tolkien's faith in action, or at least some idea of how he believed. Instead, I'm reminded (more than once) that Tolkien was a "sincere" Roman Catholic, that he forced his wife to convert from Protestantism to Roman Catholicism, and that he raised his children in the Catholic church. One is left wondering what type of faith Tolkien really had. No doubt he believed, and Horne includes how Tolkien shared his faith with C.S. Lewis in hopes of convincing Lewis to abandon skepticism, but this about as much of the action as we get to see.
Instead, this brief biography spends a handful of pages for each era of Tolkien's life and reads like a Wikipedia article. We learn of his upbringing and his orphaning at an early age. We then follow Tolkien's examination process to gain entrance to school, and then further studies to become a professor at Oxford. We read about the Great War and its affects on Tolkien, and then suddenly we're diving through publishing and finishing his works. All in all, if one is not looking for depth (and truly, I can't say that I was), then this little book is great for a casual Sunday afternoon read. Its brevity is testament to that. But if one is looking for a more thorough examination of Tolkien's life, there are definitely more available biographies of the man out there. (Horne cites these quite often, and lists the books in the back of his work for further reading.)
All in all, it was an interesting experience to read about J.R.R. Tolkien. I'm still not much of a fan of biographies, but I didn't expect to be won over by this, either. If you're looking for some lite-Tolkien bio, Mark Horne's J.R.R. Tolkien in the Christian Encounters series is it. Otherwise, look for something deeper.
*FTC Thingy: This book was provided free of charge. Yep, I didn't have to pay for it. All I had to do was read it and write an honest review. I'm required by law to post this FTC Review Thingy for tax purposes or something. So I like to change it up every time I tack it onto the books I receive. I also like requesting baked goods, but as of yet, no one's obliged.
January 5, 2012
I made a fairly late entrance into the world of J.R.R. Tolkien. In the last couple of years, I’ve begun to devour some of his works and also various critical and biographical works about him and his literature. I must admit I’ve got a long way to go and I’m still learning a lot of new things. One thing that has become clear to me is that writing a book about Tolkien is a daunting task. There’s just so much already out there and there seems to be so many potential pitfalls. In some areas, there is a veritable waterfall of information and in other areas, mum’s the word!
In my Tolkien reading lineup, the book that immediately preceded this one was by a really cranky literary critic in the 1960′s who had what one might call a few choice words for Tolkien. And the choice words weren’t so positive. So, knowing that Mark Horne was going to deliver a more appreciative assessment of Tolkien was rather comforting to me. But I wouldn’t be satisfied with flaky and soppy hagiography either. It turns out, that my reading of this book left me very satisfied. Mark did marvelous job with this one. He mixes a warm, conversational style with simple, easy prose and a scholars attention to detail as he combs through relevant and revealing episodes and characteristics of Tolkien’s life and world. I think this is a marvelous place to begin for a person who seeking to get better acquainted with Tolkien. To be honest, I sort of wish it was the first Tolkien bio I read.
Since this is a part of the “Christian Encounters” series, one might expect this book to be very focused on reading a certain theological emphasis into Tolkien’s life works or teaching certain morals through his life. But the book is much like Tolkien’s work, it is not moralistic and not trying to make a particular theological or denominational point, but rather help its readers encounter a great author in a very human and down-to-earth way. And it succeeds at this objective. This is not to say that Mark does not point out virtues and themes in Tolkien, it’s just that he lets them be for what they are and isn’t driving toward a rhetorical point.
It wasn’t until I finished this book and saw the concluding bio that I realized that not only does Mark share a name with me, but we are both married to Jennifers and he and my wife went to the same college. Go figure! This book is really well-done and I must congratulate Mark Horne for doing a fine job of tackling a really hard project and giving the Tolkiensphere a great resource!
(Disclosure: I received this book for free as a review copy through the BookSneeze.com program. Apparently the FTC requires this disclaimer. The opinions I’ve expressed are fiercely independent. They gave me the book with the understanding that I would give an honest review. I would refuse to enter any arrangement where I wasn’t free to tear a book to shreds–after all, negative reviews are more fun. )
In my Tolkien reading lineup, the book that immediately preceded this one was by a really cranky literary critic in the 1960′s who had what one might call a few choice words for Tolkien. And the choice words weren’t so positive. So, knowing that Mark Horne was going to deliver a more appreciative assessment of Tolkien was rather comforting to me. But I wouldn’t be satisfied with flaky and soppy hagiography either. It turns out, that my reading of this book left me very satisfied. Mark did marvelous job with this one. He mixes a warm, conversational style with simple, easy prose and a scholars attention to detail as he combs through relevant and revealing episodes and characteristics of Tolkien’s life and world. I think this is a marvelous place to begin for a person who seeking to get better acquainted with Tolkien. To be honest, I sort of wish it was the first Tolkien bio I read.
Since this is a part of the “Christian Encounters” series, one might expect this book to be very focused on reading a certain theological emphasis into Tolkien’s life works or teaching certain morals through his life. But the book is much like Tolkien’s work, it is not moralistic and not trying to make a particular theological or denominational point, but rather help its readers encounter a great author in a very human and down-to-earth way. And it succeeds at this objective. This is not to say that Mark does not point out virtues and themes in Tolkien, it’s just that he lets them be for what they are and isn’t driving toward a rhetorical point.
It wasn’t until I finished this book and saw the concluding bio that I realized that not only does Mark share a name with me, but we are both married to Jennifers and he and my wife went to the same college. Go figure! This book is really well-done and I must congratulate Mark Horne for doing a fine job of tackling a really hard project and giving the Tolkiensphere a great resource!
(Disclosure: I received this book for free as a review copy through the BookSneeze.com program. Apparently the FTC requires this disclaimer. The opinions I’ve expressed are fiercely independent. They gave me the book with the understanding that I would give an honest review. I would refuse to enter any arrangement where I wasn’t free to tear a book to shreds–after all, negative reviews are more fun. )
February 6, 2017
This book by Mark Horne is a welcome addition to the series of short biographies in the Christian Encounter series published by Thomas Nelson. Others include J. S. Bach, D. L. Moody, Schweitzer, Columbus, Newton and Galileo.
J. R. R. Tolkein (1892-1973) needs no introduction, he is the author of one of the most popular books of the previous century, The Lord of the Rings. In this short, accessible and well-written book we are introduced to Tolkein the man. The biography is chronological and chronicles Tolkein's life from birth in Bloemfontein, South Africa to his death in Oxford.
This book breaks no new ground, but that is not its aim. It's aim is to provide a simple introduction to the life of Tolkein. Horne recognises that 'Tolkein's faith is important to understanding his works.' Unfortunately, this aspect is not fully developed.
We are told that 'Tolkein's faith helped him to persevere in the midst of severe losses and taught his patience as he forced himself to work at his job and support his family.' His father died while Tolkein was young. Horne makes the interesting observation that Tolkein's religious imagination and faith would have been different if his father had lived. Tolkein's mother later converted to Catholicism and brought up her two children as Catholics. The influence of Catholicism was also evident through Tolkein's guardian Father Francis Morgan, who took over his care when his mother died.
The role of the TCBS (Tea Club and Barrovian Society) is expounded in some detail but little is made of the Inklings - the group that comprised Tolkein, C. S. Lewis, etc. The fellowship and camaraderie of small groups was obviously important to him.
As Horne concludes:
While God calls Christians to proclaim his truth in a variety of ways and situations ... we can learn from Tolkein that sometimes a mere story can change lives.
This book provides a good brief introduction to the life of Tolkein. If you like Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit then this book will help you understand a little more the man behind them.
There is a helpful short appendix on the bibliographical sources.
J. R. R. Tolkein (1892-1973) needs no introduction, he is the author of one of the most popular books of the previous century, The Lord of the Rings. In this short, accessible and well-written book we are introduced to Tolkein the man. The biography is chronological and chronicles Tolkein's life from birth in Bloemfontein, South Africa to his death in Oxford.
This book breaks no new ground, but that is not its aim. It's aim is to provide a simple introduction to the life of Tolkein. Horne recognises that 'Tolkein's faith is important to understanding his works.' Unfortunately, this aspect is not fully developed.
We are told that 'Tolkein's faith helped him to persevere in the midst of severe losses and taught his patience as he forced himself to work at his job and support his family.' His father died while Tolkein was young. Horne makes the interesting observation that Tolkein's religious imagination and faith would have been different if his father had lived. Tolkein's mother later converted to Catholicism and brought up her two children as Catholics. The influence of Catholicism was also evident through Tolkein's guardian Father Francis Morgan, who took over his care when his mother died.
The role of the TCBS (Tea Club and Barrovian Society) is expounded in some detail but little is made of the Inklings - the group that comprised Tolkein, C. S. Lewis, etc. The fellowship and camaraderie of small groups was obviously important to him.
As Horne concludes:
While God calls Christians to proclaim his truth in a variety of ways and situations ... we can learn from Tolkein that sometimes a mere story can change lives.
This book provides a good brief introduction to the life of Tolkein. If you like Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit then this book will help you understand a little more the man behind them.
There is a helpful short appendix on the bibliographical sources.
July 18, 2011
** I received this book free from Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze program in exchange for an honest review.**
It seems everyone is familiar with the name J.R.R. Tolkien, especially after the most recent film productions of his work. Growing up, myself, to be familiar with Tolkien’s works (we even read The Hobbit in class in… eighth grade, I want to say…), it is rewarding to be able to get a closer glimpse at the man behind the works, at his life and how it shaped him, in turn shaping the books so many have come to love, which have themselves shaped the very face of literature, leaving a lasting impression on the genre that we still feel today.
And this book does an excellent job at giving us a basic look into the life of this great author. Shorter than a typical biography, it divides his life into various periods of time (for example, his childhood, his early schooling, “coming of age”, time in Oxford, the war, etc), and appears to give an overview of Tolkien’s life at the time, where he lived, issues that he faced at the time, important people in his life. We are revealed the struggles (like his almost inhabilitating perfectionism) and pains (deaths of his parents and friends) of this great man, no longer able to take for granted the work he left us without understanding and appreciating the person who gave them life.
Interesting, for me, was to see where various aspects of his life may have influenced his writing. Various locations or people, images he may have incorporated... I also thought it was clever how the author gave the various sections of the book titles like “Between the Shire and Mordor, Part One” and “Hobbits and Epic Heroism”.
This book is a great, quick, look into the life of one of the greatest authors mankind has ever known. It was an enjoyable read, and despite being a “Unitarian nonconformist”, as the author would probably call me, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the life of J.R.R. Tolkien. In fact, I’d love to get the chance to read any of the other books from the series.
It seems everyone is familiar with the name J.R.R. Tolkien, especially after the most recent film productions of his work. Growing up, myself, to be familiar with Tolkien’s works (we even read The Hobbit in class in… eighth grade, I want to say…), it is rewarding to be able to get a closer glimpse at the man behind the works, at his life and how it shaped him, in turn shaping the books so many have come to love, which have themselves shaped the very face of literature, leaving a lasting impression on the genre that we still feel today.
And this book does an excellent job at giving us a basic look into the life of this great author. Shorter than a typical biography, it divides his life into various periods of time (for example, his childhood, his early schooling, “coming of age”, time in Oxford, the war, etc), and appears to give an overview of Tolkien’s life at the time, where he lived, issues that he faced at the time, important people in his life. We are revealed the struggles (like his almost inhabilitating perfectionism) and pains (deaths of his parents and friends) of this great man, no longer able to take for granted the work he left us without understanding and appreciating the person who gave them life.
Interesting, for me, was to see where various aspects of his life may have influenced his writing. Various locations or people, images he may have incorporated... I also thought it was clever how the author gave the various sections of the book titles like “Between the Shire and Mordor, Part One” and “Hobbits and Epic Heroism”.
This book is a great, quick, look into the life of one of the greatest authors mankind has ever known. It was an enjoyable read, and despite being a “Unitarian nonconformist”, as the author would probably call me, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the life of J.R.R. Tolkien. In fact, I’d love to get the chance to read any of the other books from the series.
August 21, 2015
J. R. R. Tolkien was born in South Africa but grew up near Birmingham, England. His father died when he was three and his mother when he was 12, but he was strongly influenced by her Roman Catholic faith. His love of poetry and northern European languages and mythologies became a guiding passion that directed his life - from Oxford through the French battlefields of WWI and back again. But Tolkien is known best for his books, and I love the fact that The Hobbit began as a story for his children. It was only when he shared his writings with some friends (like C. S. Lewis) that it eventually was published and he was asked to write more about hobbits - both by his publisher and his new fans!
Tolkien is frequently called "the father of modern fantasy literature," but in my opinion, his books transcend mere genre. I tried reading other "fantasy" books but couldn't get into any of them (I've never even been able to finish The Silmarillion). And that wide appeal, according to author Mark Horne, is part of what makes The Lord of the Rings such a powerful story. Rather than being overtly religious (as Lewis' Narnia series was), it presents the struggle between good and evil and leaves the reader to "apply" it as they will. Tolkien was devoutly Catholic, but disliked the idea of pushing his beliefs upon his readers.
For several years now I've had a couple of books about Tolkien on my to-be-read list, but somehow they never seem to percolate to the top. So when I saw this short bio in the Christian Encounters Series from Thomas Nelson Publishers (I received the book through their blogger program) I knew it could fit into my reading schedule. My foremost concern was that it might be overbearing or preachy, but to Mr. Horne's credit, he is as modest as Tolkien was. He never assumes too much or overstates the role of religion in Tolkien's life, but explains perfectly how the books were influenced by his faith. And if there's any fault in this short bio, it's that it's too short - 130 pages just doesn't seem enough.
Tolkien is frequently called "the father of modern fantasy literature," but in my opinion, his books transcend mere genre. I tried reading other "fantasy" books but couldn't get into any of them (I've never even been able to finish The Silmarillion). And that wide appeal, according to author Mark Horne, is part of what makes The Lord of the Rings such a powerful story. Rather than being overtly religious (as Lewis' Narnia series was), it presents the struggle between good and evil and leaves the reader to "apply" it as they will. Tolkien was devoutly Catholic, but disliked the idea of pushing his beliefs upon his readers.
For several years now I've had a couple of books about Tolkien on my to-be-read list, but somehow they never seem to percolate to the top. So when I saw this short bio in the Christian Encounters Series from Thomas Nelson Publishers (I received the book through their blogger program) I knew it could fit into my reading schedule. My foremost concern was that it might be overbearing or preachy, but to Mr. Horne's credit, he is as modest as Tolkien was. He never assumes too much or overstates the role of religion in Tolkien's life, but explains perfectly how the books were influenced by his faith. And if there's any fault in this short bio, it's that it's too short - 130 pages just doesn't seem enough.
December 16, 2013
What a great little book!
Author Mark Horne presents the life of J.R.R. Tolkien succinctly. It is a quick, easy read. Horne gives you enough information to love Tolkien--if you didn't already--and to make you thirst for more. Reading it made me want to read more about Tolkien and to read more of his works, besides the most obvious ones: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, both of which I've already read.
The book was obviously well-researched, as Horne brings in information from Tolkien's books, stories, and personal letters. Through this, he helps you to understand the mind of Tolkien (as much as one can), so that you feel his pain with the struggles of a woman he cannot have, then can have but she's not a Catholic, then has as his wife, yet the results of his struggles play an important role through the rest of their lives.
He also helps to understand the relationship between him and his sons and him and his friends, like Charles Williams and CS Lewis. What better way to know a man than through the relationships he has with others? What is most interesting about the book, though, is the final chapter, "Legacy." In concluding, Horne, having introduced you to the man Tolkien, shows you the impact the man had on this world--the very thing, Horne writes, that Tolkien's college club, the TCBS, wanted for its members.
Horne's writing is engaging and interesting, making for an easy read, but it's his observations, in the end, that make the difference. He is not so quick to dismiss the little things that may have impacted Tolkien, and he wants us to see what those things were with him.
Author Mark Horne presents the life of J.R.R. Tolkien succinctly. It is a quick, easy read. Horne gives you enough information to love Tolkien--if you didn't already--and to make you thirst for more. Reading it made me want to read more about Tolkien and to read more of his works, besides the most obvious ones: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, both of which I've already read.
The book was obviously well-researched, as Horne brings in information from Tolkien's books, stories, and personal letters. Through this, he helps you to understand the mind of Tolkien (as much as one can), so that you feel his pain with the struggles of a woman he cannot have, then can have but she's not a Catholic, then has as his wife, yet the results of his struggles play an important role through the rest of their lives.
He also helps to understand the relationship between him and his sons and him and his friends, like Charles Williams and CS Lewis. What better way to know a man than through the relationships he has with others? What is most interesting about the book, though, is the final chapter, "Legacy." In concluding, Horne, having introduced you to the man Tolkien, shows you the impact the man had on this world--the very thing, Horne writes, that Tolkien's college club, the TCBS, wanted for its members.
Horne's writing is engaging and interesting, making for an easy read, but it's his observations, in the end, that make the difference. He is not so quick to dismiss the little things that may have impacted Tolkien, and he wants us to see what those things were with him.
September 8, 2011
I am sure that by now, most people are at least vaguely familiar with J.R.R. Tolkien; or at least perhaps his books and/or movie adaptations. (Small confession: I never finished reading LOTR. I did, however, manage to read The Hobbit) I did find this book somewhat enjoyable to read. Horne did present a clear biographical sketch of Tolkien's life from the death of his parents, his service in WWI, and of course, the writing of his stories and novels. There were a few things that I would have approached differently (i.e. the first of two Harry Potter references was completely unnecessary, as in, a pot calling the kettle black situation), but these were thankfully restrained in number. I did learn slightly more about Tolkien's relationship with C.S. Lewis, and was instructed about its' cooling over time. Overall, I found the book to be quite accessible and would recommend it Tolkien fans as a short introduction to the man behind the hobbits.
Disclaimer: Recently, I signed up to be a "book review blogger" for Thomas Nelson publishers and/or BookSneeze, and was provided a copy free of charge to read and review. The thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect those of Thomas Nelson or BookSneeze. This is disclosed in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Disclaimer: Recently, I signed up to be a "book review blogger" for Thomas Nelson publishers and/or BookSneeze, and was provided a copy free of charge to read and review. The thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect those of Thomas Nelson or BookSneeze. This is disclosed in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
October 10, 2011
This is a short biography of John Ronal Reuel Tolkien. He was born in 1892. He was an English writer, poet, philologist, (lover of learning and literature) and university professor. Horne wants his readers to know Tolkien’s Christian faith impacted his writing.
Born in South Africa he and his mother moved to England after the loss of his father. The beautiful landscape of England and his mother’s Christian influence shaped his writing style. He lost his mother when he was 12 years old, but he credited his love of language to her as she taught him Latin and French. He also learned Greek and Finnish in school.
Tolkien lived through WWI and WWII spending a short amount of time in a war zone. Even though the time was short, it also influenced his writing.
Tolkien became an English professor at Leeds, where he met and befriended C.S. Lewis. Lewis complimented Tolkien on his book The Fellowship of the Ring after reading the manuscript.
In this short biography, Horne wants his readers to know that J.R.R. Tolkien’s writing not only entertains but could challenge and inspire his readers.
Tolkien died in 1973. He is best known for the classic fantasy books, The Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings.
Book Review by Mary Crocco
Born in South Africa he and his mother moved to England after the loss of his father. The beautiful landscape of England and his mother’s Christian influence shaped his writing style. He lost his mother when he was 12 years old, but he credited his love of language to her as she taught him Latin and French. He also learned Greek and Finnish in school.
Tolkien lived through WWI and WWII spending a short amount of time in a war zone. Even though the time was short, it also influenced his writing.
Tolkien became an English professor at Leeds, where he met and befriended C.S. Lewis. Lewis complimented Tolkien on his book The Fellowship of the Ring after reading the manuscript.
In this short biography, Horne wants his readers to know that J.R.R. Tolkien’s writing not only entertains but could challenge and inspire his readers.
Tolkien died in 1973. He is best known for the classic fantasy books, The Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings.
Book Review by Mary Crocco
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