Christopher Tolkien, son of fantasy author J.R.R., dies at 95
Christopher Tolkien, son of author J.R.R. Tolkien, has died at the age of 95.
Christopher was admitted to Hospital Center De La Dracénie in southern France on Wednesday night for unspecified health problems, according to French newspaper Var-matin. He passed away in the middle of the night.
Christopher Tolkien has died at the age of 95. The Tolkien Society sends its deepest condolences to Baillie, Simon, Adam, Rachel and the whole Tolkien family. pic.twitter.com/X83PTx4b7x
— Tolkien Society (@TolkienSociety) January 16, 2020
Christopher Tolkien wrote original works himself, but he is best known for editing and illustrating J.R.R.'s famous "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy and their prequel, "The Hobbit." Christopher is responsible for creating the detailed maps of Middle Earth found in publications of J.R.R. Tolkien's books starting in the 1950s, according to the Mirror.
Christopher also helped publish many of his father’s books after J.R.R.’s death in 1973.
Christopher, the third son of J.R.R. out of four children, was born Nov. 21, 1924. He was born and raised in northern England, where he worked with his father. He later retired in the French countryside with his wife Baillie.
He is survived by his wife and their children, Simon, Adam and Rachel Clare.
Christopher Tolkien made the entire field of Tolkien Studies. He made it. Without his lifetime’s effort to curate his father’s works, we’d have four novels. No Silmarillion, no Histories. No linguistic journals. His impact cannot be understated.
— Athrabeth Podcast (@Athrabeth_cast) January 16, 2020
godspeed, sir. and thank you -j
