Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, was one of the 20th century's most prolific letter writers. Over the years he wrote a mass of correspondence - to his publishers, his family, friends and fans of his books - which records the history and composition of his works and his reaction to subsequent events.
By turns thoughtful, impish, scholarly, impassioned, playful, vigorous, and gentle, Tolkien poured his heart and mind into a great stream of letters to intimate friends and unknown admirers all over the world. From this collection one sees a mind of immense complexity and many layers - artistic, religious, charmingly eccentric, sentimental, and ultimately brilliant.
