Rules of Life: J. R. R. Tolkien Bashny.Net

I myself am an absolute hobbit, only taller.

I was born in Bloemfontein in South Africa and was very young when my family returned to England. This experience is in your mind, even if it seems to you that there is. If your first Christmas tree was fading eucalyptus, and you always suffered from the heat and sand, and then suddenly found himself in a quiet village in Warwickshire, you start to feel a peculiar love for Central England: there is good water, stones and elm trees and small quiet river and the villagers circle.

I've always been incredibly fascinated by trees.

I was shy, a little unfortunate creation and a mediocre student. But I played well in rugby.

By 1918, almost all of my close friends were dead.

My childhood can not be considered unlucky. It was tragic, but unfortunately it was not.
Via; Esquire





His first work I wrote seven years, and it it was the dragon. Mama read my opus, noticed that we should not write a "green big dragon" and the "big green dragon." Honestly, I did not understand why she thinks so, and did not realize until now.

I went to school and Edwardian most of the time spent on the study of Latin and Greek. But I also learned Anglo-Saxon, and along with the gothic. The latter happened by accident, because the schedule was not gothic.

Linguistic structure always acted on me like music or color.

I was saddened to childhood poverty, my country, which did not have their own legends. Greek, Celtic, Norse, Finnish chivalry - it's all there, but nothing perfect English, except for the cheap literary craft.

Spanish - the only one of the Romance languages, which I am pleased to say.

I'm sorry that I seem to have no Jewish ancestors, no representative of this talented people.

My great-grandfather came to England from Germany in the eighteenth century, and for the most part I of English origin, but always proud of his German name. Even during the terrible war, during which I have served as an officer in the British Army.

The destruction of Germany, be it a hundred times guilty, - one of the worst disasters of the world.

I do not like the slightest hint of allegory.

Dwarves, and it's pretty obvious in many ways reminiscent of the Jews. Their language, of course, from the Semitic group. And hobbits - it's just English farmers. I made them small in proportion to the power of their imagination, but they do not take up courage.

The human heart is much better to human actions, and even more words.

Goblins - not villains, they just have a high level of corruption.

I repeatedly found fault in the fact that I did not bother to properly portray the economy, science, religion and philosophy of Middle-earth.

I wrote "The Hobbit" style, which is now called the least bad - as if someone is trying to talk to children in the same language. And the children most of all this hate language. They instinctively disliked in "The Hobbit" all the things that made him a book for children. And over time, I, too, dislike it.

The best form for a long work - it's the journey.

When you write a complex story, you should immediately draw the map - then it will be too late.

Choose the right name gives me great pleasure. When I write, I always start with the name. First name - then the story, not vice versa.

Of course, the "Lord of the Rings" is not mine. He was born because it was destined, and should live their lives, although, of course, I will follow him, as it follows the child's parents.

A few years ago in Oxford man came to me. He was amazed that many of the old artists, without knowing it, as if illustrated the "Lord of the Rings." To confirm his words, he showed me a couple of reproductions. When it became clear that I have never seen these pictures and not too well-versed in the art in general, he looked at me and said, "I hope you do not think that you wrote the book yourself?»

Most of my time I am struggling with the natural inertia of the lazy man. Old university professor once told me: "It's not just noise, my boy, but also the fear that you will prevent».

Not being able to use a pen or pencil, you feel helpless, like a chicken, remaining without beak.

Looking back at the events that followed the release of "The Lord of the Rings" out of print, I find myself in the strange feeling: it seems to me that from time immemorial hangs over his head clouds suddenly parted, and the land again rushed forgot sunlight.

No one can judge about his own holiness.

I smoke, and I enjoy it.

Have you ever been in the old English pub - Trip to Jerusalem in Nottingham? I once went to Nottingham for a conference, and it seems we immediately went to the pub, and the conference somehow without us cope.

I became less cynical than I was, because I remember my own sins and follies.

I love beer.

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