Profile of the Day: J.R.R. Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien

On this day in 1892, J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was the son of Arthur Tolkien, a bank manager, and Mabel Suffield. After his father died of rheumatic fever in 1896, his mother took her young family to live with relatives in Birmingham, England. Tragedy struck his family yet again 8 years later when his mother died of acute diabetes. During World War I, Tolkien served in the British army. He fought at the Battle of the Somme, the largest battle on the Western Front, but when he became ill, Tolkien was sent home.

Tolkien brought his passion for linguistics into his writings by incorporating languages of his own creation into his storytelling. In 1937, he published The Hobbit to great success and the book quickly became one of the most popular works in children’s literature. He followed the book with the epic novel, The Lord of the Rings, which further expanded his rich world of Middle-earth. The three volume book would become one of the best-selling novels ever written with over 150 million copies sold. The popularity of his work continues to endure to this day thanks to a string of successful film adaptations.

Have you read The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings?

Explore J.R.R. Tolkien’s family tree on Geni and share your connection to the author.
 

View J.R.R. Tolkien’s Geni Profile

Image: Wikimedia Commons