In , however, Ace Books exploited a legal loophole and published an unauthorized paperback version of The Lord of the Rings.
Within months Ballantine published an official version with a rather cross note about respecting an author's wishes. The lower cost of paperbacks and the publicity generated by the copyright dispute boosted sales of the books considerably, especially in America where it was quickly embraced by the 60s counterculture.
Nearly 50 years after its publication, tolkien's epic tale has sold more than million copies and been translated into more than 25 languages. Written in an almost archaic form, packed with strange words and obsure historical details, and lacking the modern emphasis on the "inner life," it is unabashedly antimodern. But at the same time its melancholy environmentalism and fully realized alternative world are very modern.
It has often been read, among as other things, as an allegory of World War II or the Cold War, but Tolkien himself denied any such interpretation, maintaining it was simply a story to be taken on its own terms.
Its enduring appeal, however, lies not in its literary oddness or straightforward action, but in its beautifully realized world and themes of loss, self-sacrifice, and friendship. In its wake, tolkien's work left not only a host of sword-and-sorcery imitators and devoted fans, but a lasting legacy in the hundreds of virtual worlds that have come to life in books and films since. Middle-earth after J. Tolkien died on September 2, His death did not mark the end of Middle-earth for readers, though.
After tolkien's death his son Christopher endeavored to complete his father's life work. He edited The Silmarillion and saw it published in In he began to publish the rest of his father's incomplete writings, culminating in the volume History of Middle-earth series.
Enjoyed this post? Click to get future articles delivered by email or get the RSS feed. Tolkien Books written by J. Tolkien Books edited, translated, or with contributions by J. Tolkien Books with Published Letters by J. During these years, he worked with E.
Early in the s he began writing The Hobbit , which was published in That same year, at the suggestion of his publisher, he began work on The Lord of the Rings , the first two volumes being published in and the third in In , Tolkien was awarded the Merton Professor of English Language and Literature at Oxford, a position he held until his retirement in Tolkien died at the age of 81 in September While many other authors had published works of fantasy before Tolkien, the great success of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings led directly to a popular resurgence of the genre.
This has caused Tolkien to be popularly identified as the "father" of modern fantasy literature—or more precisely, high fantasy. Tolkien's writings have inspired many other works of fantasy and have had a lasting effect on the entire field.
In , The Times ranked him sixth on a list of "The 50 greatest British writers since ". Forbes ranked him the 5th top-earning dead celebrity in Continue reading from Goodreads. Jackson also directed a three-part Hobbit movie adaptation starring Martin Freeman, which was released from to The Art of the Hobbit was published in , celebrating the novel's 75th anniversary by presenting Tolkien's original illustrations. Underscoring the enduring popularity of Tolkien's famed fantasy world, in November , online retail and entertainment behemoth Amazon announced that it had acquired the TV rights for the book series.
The author's life was the subject of the feature Tolkien , a biopic starring Nicholas Hoult and steeped with references to The Lord of the Rings. We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!
Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. English writer A. Milne is best known for his children's stories about the adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh.
0コメント