John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. During his lifetime he became a master storyteller, completing many novels such as The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil; Ancrene Wisse, Sir Gawain, Sir Orfeo and The Pearl, Imram, The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm’s Son, The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun, Farmer Giles of Ham, Leaf by Niggle, and Smith of Wootton Major. It wasn’t until after his death, on September 2, 1973, that many of his uncompleted works were published with the help of his son, Christopher Tolkien. Those works include The Silmarillion, The Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, The Book of Lost Tales, and The Peoples of Middle-earth (also known as the History of Middle-earth).
Each year, in celebration of the Professor’s birthday, the Tolkien Society urges fans to take part in a birthday toast. So tonight, during The Founders’ Inklings radio show, the Middle-earth Network Founders will be raising a glass and toasting to “The Professor” and we’d love for you to join in the toast with us. We’ll be broadcasting LIVE at 10 PM EST on Middle-earth Network Radio and you can join in the fun as we talk all things Tolkien by tuning in, joining our live chat room or on Lord of the Rings Online in the Bird and Baby Inn on the Lanroval server, and toasting to the life and works of “The Professor”.
Get your toasting glass to the ready!
Want to learn more about Tolkien’s life? Check out the Tolkien Society’s biography page: J. R. R. Tolkien: A Biographical Sketch.
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