JRR Tolkien Day

JRR Tolkien Day was created in honor of the brilliant British writer who gave the world many bestsellers, without which it is now difficult to imagine the existence of the fantasy genre. It is impossible to count the number of his admirers, if you are one of them, celebrate the holiday with us. If not yet, this is a great opportunity to get acquainted with the work of a great man!

History

Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892 in South Africa. His parents moved to the country from England due to a promotion. The father died early, so the mother, who managed to give birth to another child, had to return back. She was engaged in education, taught the future writer to read and write. He was a gifted child – at the age of 4 he painted landscapes, knew about botany, knew how to read well. Books were his main passion.

He led a bright and eventful life. He married a pianist, had four children, participated in the First World War, the Battle of the Somme, wrote scientific papers, became a professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University. He composed the Hobbit for his young children, already in 1937 it was published.

The Fellowship of the Ring was published in England on July 29, 1954. Then came the rest of the trilogy. Serious controversy arose with the latter: Tolkien did not approve of the publisher’s decision to call it The Return of the King, but he could not change his mind. It is noteworthy that no one believed in the success of the books, and the publisher himself hoped to recoup the cost of materials as little as possible.

Interesting facts

Did you know:

• the writer had a negative attitude towards Hitler and fascism in general and even wanted to ban The Hobbit in Germany;
• during World War II, he was offered to become a codebreaker, he went to special courses, but in the end the government released him from service;
• Tolkien had a negative attitude towards cars, preferring walking or cycling;
• in 1972 he received the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

How to celebrate

Learn more about the writer’s work at JRR Tolkien Day! Read biography, poems, books. Check out their screenshots! Invite your friends to watch your favorite movies.

When is JRR Tolkien Day celebrated in 2024?

JRR Tolkien Day is observed on January 3 each year.

Observations