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freyajhugroo's review
5.0
It is odd to rate a real life and so I am simply rating the feels provided by this book. Tolkien is astonishing and his life a beautiful, tragic one to read of.
kstephensreads's review
4.0
This book was interesting and I enjoyed it just because I felt like I was getting better acquainted with friends. It’s not the most exciting biography I’ve read in terms of writing style, but interesting subject matter put in an orderly account.
winterscape's review
5.0
A great, well-rounded insight into J.R.R. Tolkien's life, especially in relation to his significant friendships and the way his stories were shaped and discovered in the world around him.
I feel a much greater understanding and appreciation of him as a person, academic, and author, as well as for his stories that I treasure so much.
This biography adds a lot more background depth to his mythology and storytelling if you had little previous knowledge of Tolkien's methods, beliefs, or the sources of inspiration from which he drew.
Written like a story of Ronald Tolkien's life from birth until death, you will really get to know the man and travel with him as he becomes the legend.
Thoroughly recommend this biography.
I feel a much greater understanding and appreciation of him as a person, academic, and author, as well as for his stories that I treasure so much.
This biography adds a lot more background depth to his mythology and storytelling if you had little previous knowledge of Tolkien's methods, beliefs, or the sources of inspiration from which he drew.
Written like a story of Ronald Tolkien's life from birth until death, you will really get to know the man and travel with him as he becomes the legend.
Thoroughly recommend this biography.
michael_k's review against another edition
3.0
Δεν είμαι φίλος των βιογραφιών αλλά για την περίπτωση αυτή (όπως και για ελάχιστες άλλες) έκανα μια εξαίρεση. Ευτυχώς η γραφή δεν είναι κουραστική και το επίπεδο της λεπτομέρειας δεν είναι τόσο εξαντλητικό ώστε να κουράζει. Πιστεύω πως όσοι γοητεύονται από τα έργα του καθηγητή αξίζει τον κόπο να τη διαβάσουν.
mary_juleyre's review
informative
medium-paced
1.0
1 star because it’s on Tolkien but in any other regard: the book is just a summary of Humphrey Carpenter’s outstanding biography. It doesn’t add anything new and in fact borrows unacceptable amounts from superior biographies. Do yourself a favour and read one of these (Carpenter, Shippey, …) instead of wasting your time with this book.
valjeanval's review
4.0
My resolution this year is to read more nonfiction, and this was the first NF book to come up as I scrolled through my nook tars. Oddly enough, I read most of it on Tolkien's 127th birthday. This is a very easy to read, sometimes speculative look at Tolkien's life mostly before his epics. It does an especially fine job chronicling his relationship with his wife and his Inkling friends. I learned a lot of new things about him and would recommend this to any LOTR fan who wants a quick look into the life of this astonishing person.
iceangel9's review
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
A masterful biography of Tolkien. Duriez writes in a readable and interesting way. He takes you into Tolkien's life and writings in a seamless fashion. A must read for all Tolkien fans. Actually, anything written by Duriez should be a must read.