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Tolkien Reading Day 2020

Tolkien’s world has long been one of my refuges. I first visited Middle-earth at age 8 and have made frequent pilgrimages there in the more than a half century since. I think that we need such a haven even more in the current moment, with the very fabric of our world seeming to shred day by day. With that as context, I have been reflecting on my long relationship with Tolkien’s work.

I have thought a lot in recent weeks about how much of the richness of Arda as we know it was given to us by the decades-long dedication of Christopher Tolkien, the steward of his father’s work and legacy. Without Christopher Tolkien, our view of J. R. R. Tolkien’s world would be so much smaller, so limited. I was (somewhat unexpectedly) deeply affected by Christopher’s death at the beginning of the year and haven’t yet voiced my appreciation for his massive contribution to our understanding of his father’s world. I am taking the opportunity of Tolkien Reading Day to do just that.

Think about it. Without Christopher Tolkien, we would not have had the magnificence of The Silmarillion, The History of Middle-earth (all 12 volumes and thousands of glorious pages), the haunting story of The Children of Hurin, the beautiful study of Beren and Luthien (admittedly this volume is one of my absolute favorites), or the heartbreaking edition of  The Fall of Gondolin. And then there were works outside of Tolkien’s created world. How great was it that so many readers were motivated to pick of Beowulf for the first time (or, like me, for the first time in many, many years) because it was Tolkien’s translation? The list goes on. And we have Christopher Tolkien to thank for it.

The attached photo shows all the volumes that I found on my Tolkien bookshelf that Christopher edited or made a large direct contribution to assembling. Sure, someone else may have published something from the vast collection of the Professor’s papers and work, but they could never have the intimate connection and commitment to the work that Christopher possessed.

Editions by Christopher Tolkien, from the bookshelf of Valdis Longbeard. Photo credit: Valdis Longbeard.

So, on this Tolkien Reading Day, I will spend some time in the pages of Christopher Tolkien’s corners of Arda and thank him, from the bottom of my heart, for the great gifts he gave us in his long career.

I will also be thinking of all of you, my Tolkien fandom family, wishing you health and peace in these dark times. May the Valar protect you on your path under the sky.

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