Most writers (and readers) know Tolkien’s work is exemplary. Translated into 37 languages, and 150 million published copies, the world of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings (LOTR) is still popular today, despite the works being penned between 1937 and 1949.
I’m quite proud of Tolkien I must say, because his writing achieved the status of global phenomenon, and he was both British and an Oxonian (ok, I admit bias). I also appreciate his belief in God. He was a Catholic and he once wrote a letter to someone who asked about the purpose of life, advising her that it was “to increase according to our capacity our knowledge of God by all the means we have, and to be moved by it to praise and thanks”. Smart man.
The LOTR trilogy aside, Tolkien also wrote a little-known book for his children called Mr. Bliss. It was published after Tolkien died, in 1982.
The story follows Mr. Bliss taking a ride in his new car and the mishaps that occur. This is a story Tolkien wrote for his own children and viewing the book from that perspective makes it all the more enjoyable.
The book is humorous and whimsical and appealing to young children (and the young at heart). The manuscript appears in landscape format, and includes Tolkien’s own handwritten text, of which both features add artistic dimensions to the book (see below for an example of the lovely black ink scrawl). The simple but beautiful illustrations are also by Tolkien, which is so impressive.
There are no Orks here, but it does feature a strange creature called a Girabbit (an adorable cross-bred rabbit and giraffe). If you like weird and wonderful Mr Bliss is a very entertaining read.
(By the by, if anyone knows of any available Girabbits looking for a new home, please point them my way. They are so sweet I shouldn’t mind in the least if one had to live partly through my roof).
The London Author
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