An interview with J.R.R. Tolkien

[The Squatter of Amon Rûdh]

I have deep misgivings about posting this, since many of you may be aware of it already. However, since our search appears not to recognise the name of the interviewer I may be safe.

Tolkien was shy of interviews once his fame became widespread, but he would do favours for former students (his last radio interview was also conducted by an old Oxonian). One such was the late Daphne Castell, who visited him at home in 1966 and later published this interview in New Worlds. I'm posting a link here since Tolkien's comments and those of other authors in the genre touch on many of the discussions here. Some of the personal anecdotes about Tolkien himself are also well worth reading, since they highlight his generous and kindly disposition, which is often hidden by his shyness of personal publicity. Look out for Michael Moorcock, who is much kinder in his comments here than in an interview that was mentioned recently in another thread.

Queen Berúthiel threads, please copy.

Daphne Castell interviews J.R.R. Tolkien