J.R.R. Tolkien, a man whose full name (John Ronald Reuel Tolkien) could itself be mistaken for a riddle, was born in 1892, in the delightfully exotic Bloemfontein, South Africa. He lost his father at the age of 3 and his mother at 12, which rather ensured his childhood would be the sort of backstory that would later suit the protagonist of an epic fantasy tale. Raised by a Catholic priest and his own insatiable curiosity, young Tolkien quickly developed an alarming obsession with languages, eventually inventing a few of his own just for fun—because why wouldn’t you?
Fast-forward through a world war, an Oxford education and a lot of muttering in Elvish and Tolkien gave the world The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. These weren’t just stories; they were entire worlds, with maps, languages, histories and a surprising amount of walking. His work proved that even the humblest of characters (looking at you, Hobbits) could save the world, provided they had a magic ring and some plucky friends. Tolkien’s genius inspires kids to dream big, think creatively and never underestimate the power of small steps—especially if they’re heading toward Mount Doom.
Fast-forward through a world war, an Oxford education and a lot of muttering in Elvish and Tolkien gave the world The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. These weren’t just stories; they were entire worlds, with maps, languages, histories and a surprising amount of walking. His work proved that even the humblest of characters (looking at you, Hobbits) could save the world, provided they had a magic ring and some plucky friends. Tolkien’s genius inspires kids to dream big, think creatively and never underestimate the power of small steps—especially if they’re heading toward Mount Doom.
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