J. R. R. Tolkien

13 Stories

Pastry Chef: I'm 'Living My Dream' as a Hobbit in Italy

Nicolas Gentile is building a 'Shire,' with moral support from 'LOTR' actors

(Newser) - There's Netflix's My Unorthodox Life, TLC's My 600-lb Life, and now Instagram's "My Hobbit Life." That's the handle Italy's Nicolas Gentile uses on the social media platform, where he documents, well, how he lives like a Hobbit, the mythical human-like creature featured...

Their Names Are on Tolkien's Grave. Now, They're a Book

He wrote fairy tale while recovering from WWI

(Newser) - JRR Tolkien's fairy tale love story Beren and Luthien is now a book—100 years after he came up with the story as a 24-year-old WWI veteran traumatized by the horror of the trenches. The book was edited by Christopher Tolkien, the author's 92-year-old son, who includes Tolkien'...

Hobbit Trilogy Ends With a Bang
 Hobbit Trilogy 
 Ends With a Bang 
MOVIE REVIEW
Dec 19, 2014 12:08 PM CST

Hobbit Trilogy Ends With a Bang

Critics mainly happy with Peter Jackson's finale (and happy it's all over)

(Newser) - The last of the Hobbit films is now playing in theaters, bringing with it an end to Peter Jackson's long foray through JRR Tolkien's Middle-earth (at least for now). How does the finale of the second trilogy compare to its predecessors? Here's what critics are saying about...

How's the Weather in Mordor? Think Texas

Scientists release Tolkien climate study in Elvish, Dwarvish, too

(Newser) - If you're planning a trip to Mordor, you'd be well-advised to check the weather in West Texas. The two areas have similar climates, say scientists in Britain who have determined the likely climate across JRR Tolkien's Middle Earth, releasing their results in Elvish and Dwarvish , along with...

Heirs of Tolkien, Dickens Collaborate on Books

Michael Tolkien will write, Gerald Dickens will narrate

(Newser) - The descendants of literary royalty are coming together on two new children's fantasy books. JRR Tolkien's grandson, Michael Tolkien, will write the two novels—which will be based on stories Tolkien himself read to him when he was young—and Charles Dickens' great-great grandson, Gerald Dickens, will narrate...

Why Tolkien Wasn't Given Nobel Prize: Bad Writing

Jury member was not impressed with storytelling

(Newser) - His novels became classics, but back in 1961, JRR Tolkien's work wasn't good enough for the Nobel Prize committee. The Lord of the Rings author was nominated that year by fellow fantasy author CS Lewis, but the committee rejected him because his writing wasn't good enough, the...

Hungary Warns Residents of Disasters ... in Middle-earth

Emergency broadcast system tested using 'Lord of the Rings' locales

(Newser) - Hungary had a conundrum: How to test its emergency broadcast system, but not alarm residents by mentioning real towns? The solution: Use Middle-earth instead, the AP reports. The country’s disaster management agency is warning citizens today about severe weather in Gondor, Rohan, Rivendell, and Helm’s Deep, all locations...

Wanna-Be Film Extra Told She's Too Dark to Be Hobbit

Race row hits New Zealand production

(Newser) - A woman who wanted to be an extra in The Hobbit was told by the casting crew on the New Zealand production that while she was short enough to play a hobbit, she wasn't white enough. "The casting manager basically said they weren't having anybody who wasn't pale-skinned,"...

Peter Jackson to Direct The Hobbit

'Lord of the Rings' mastermind takes over project from del Toro

(Newser) - Lord of the Rings fans, rejoice: The Hobbit will be directed by Peter Jackson himself, Deadline reports. Jackson is negotiating a deal with Warner Bros, New Line, and MGM, and the studios are reportedly willing to spend big on a two-part Hobbit picture from J.R.R. Tolkien's most accomplished...

Highest Earning Dead Celebs
 Highest Earning Dead Celebs 
Oct 28, 2009 12:19 PM CDT

Highest Earning Dead Celebs

Michael Jackson, predictably, made the list—but not at No. 1

(Newser) - The stars on Forbes ' annual list of the top-earning dead celebrities number, appropriately, 13. To make the list, a "deleb" must have brought in at least $6 million in the past year. This year's list is notably missing former mainstays Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, and Steve McQueen, and...

Rings Writer Tolkien Trained as WWII Spy

Hobbit creator turned down chance to join codebreaking team

(Newser) - Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien secretly trained as a British spy in early 1939, the Daily Telegraph reports. Newly released records show that Tolkien—one of his generation's foremost linguists—was given spy training along with 50 other intellectuals and had been picked to join the team trying...

Best Sci-Fi Languages
 Best 
 Sci-Fi 
 Languages 
Aug 26, 2009 5:25 PM CDT

Best Sci-Fi Languages

Wired declares Klingon the king of sci-fi slang

(Newser) - Creators of true geek art follow JRR Tolkien’s example and craft fictional languages to populate their worlds. Wired lists the best examples:
  1. Klingon. The Star Trek creation is the king of all sci-fi languages, with fully realized grammar and vocabulary.
  2. City Speak. Blade Runner’s vision of earth as
...

Tolkien Heirs Sue Rings Studio Over Profits

Mega-lawsuit could end plans to film The Hobbit

(Newser) - Heirs of author JRR Tolkien and publisher HarperCollins are suing the studio that made the Lord of the Rings films, claiming New Line Cinema cheated them out of $150 million in profit participation, Variety reports. The Tolkien Trust, a charity set up by the author's children, is also seeking a...

13 Stories