The book "J.R.R. Tolkien - A Biography" by Humphrey Carpenter is considered the definitive life account of the writer J. R. R. Tolkien, the creator of Middle-earth and author of "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings".
Based on personal letters, documents, and conversations with family and companions, Carpenter traces Tolkien's life from his childhood, through his time as a philologist and professor in Oxford, to the creation of his world-famous works. The biography illuminates his academic environment, his friendships, and literary influences, as well as the development of his mythological world of Middle-earth.
The book offers a well-founded insight into the life, thought, and work of one of the most significant fantasy authors of the 20th century, showing how personal experiences, linguistics, and mythology shaped Tolkien's work.