Interview with Notable Transcript:
“What events inspired you when writing your books?”
“I suppose most of the inspiration I got was from many exciting and influential experiences I had in my life. For example, the Misty Mountains and Rivendell in my Middle Earth world in which “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” take place was inspired by a walk I took on a holiday in Switzerland.” The descriptions of Mordor were greatly inspired by No Man’s Land which I spent long hours staring at during my service in the war.”
“What was the most challenging thing you faced whilst writing ‘The Hobbit’?”
“I think my greatest challenge whilst writing “The Hobbit” would probably be fitting my story in with its world in which it is set in. I really wanted my world to be as beautifully written as possible and to make this story fit in with the world in which it takes place well. Another challenge was remembering every dwarf and to include them in the book in their own way.”
“How did you come up with the Dwarves names in your books?”
“I mainly came up with them by drawing inspiration out of other old languages and mixing them with my own languages that belong in my fantasy world as well. I also liked the sense that related dwarves had names that rhymed with each other, for example, Balin and Dwalin. I think it just adds some fun and character to the dwarves.”
“Why did it take so long to write your books”
“Well, it was mostly because I wanted to get the best result as possible. It was also because I wanted this to fit perfectly into my world and to make the story fit comfortably into its history. Another reason was because writing wasn’t my full time job at the time and I still had to work as a professor at Oxford which didn’t leave much time for me to be writing.”
“Will you/Would you have, written a sequel to “The Lord of the Rings?”
“I wouldn’t have written a direct sequel, but I would most likely have written another book that is involved in my “Middle Earth” world. The reason behind me not writing a sequel as I think the book ended in a way that did not need a sequel and the reason behind me wanting to write another book based around that world is because I enjoy writing books that people will enjoy themselves.”
“What was your time in the trenches like during WW1?”
“My time in the trenches were treacherous and beyond undesirable. The sound of falling shells and gunshots was overwhelming and the conditions were more than just filthy. I was lucky enough to contract trench fever and was sent home early. I would have likely been in greater danger if I stayed any longer.”
“Did you enjoy being a professor at Oxford?”
“I greatly enjoyed teaching students as my time as a professor and giving memorable and entertaining lectures was what I was most known for at the time. However, my work was quite often exhausting and was sometimes one of the least desirable things for me to be doing. But as I said before, it was a delight seeing my students so engaged with my work and the things that I taught them.
“How did you react to the success of your books?”
“I was mostly surprised at how successful they were as I it wasn’t something that I thought most people would be engaged in. I was very much flattered that my writing was so loved by people of all ages, and I was foolish to not take an early retirement after the sales of “The Lord of the Rings.”
“Would you have liked a movie to be made about your books?”
“Well, I do suppose it depends on who was making the movie but as long as it captured the true essence of my books, I suppose I would be satisfied enough. A movie is a great way to expose my material to hesitant readers and gives already existing readers of my books a new and more detailed look at my work and the world of Middle Earth.”
“Lastly, what did you consider to be your greatest achievement in life?”
“My greatest achievement in life would honestly have to be my family. My wife and I were forbidden to interact with each other until we were of age and I was lucky to be able to pull the strands of our relationship together. I was lucky that my son Christopher cared enough about my works to continue to edit them even after my death. That is what I consider to be my greatest achievement.”