He was not the first writer of fantasy, but he is without doubt one of its founding fathers. As the late Terry Pratchett put it, ‘Most modern fantasy just rearranges the furniture in Tolkien’s attic.’ During his lifetime (1892-1973) his fame rested almost entirely on The Hobbit (1937) and the three volumes of The Lord of the Rings (1954-55). After his death his son Christopher published The Silmarillion and other works based on his father’s extensive notes and unpublished manuscripts.
Early days