JRR Tolkien: Interview from 1968

An interview with Tolkien, originally published in The Telegraph magazine on March 22. 1968.

For a fascinating look at the author behind the myth, and the discussion of his "epic fairy-tale", language, fairy-tales and the world of Middle Earth, in an era when fantasy wasn't fantasy yet.

What is also fascinating, is the language and skill of the article itself, this is before the media-zation of information. When writing was well written, and enjoyable to read in any medium.

 - Tolkien’s imaginary landscapes grew out of his predilection for creating languages. “Anyone who invents a language,” he said, “finds that it requires a suitable habitation and a history in which it can develop. A real language is never invented, of course. It is a natural thing. It is wrong to call the language you grow up speaking your native language. It is not. It is your first learnt language. It is a by-product of the total make-up of the animal.” Read the full article - telegraph.co.uk :

Book Review: The Old Genie Hottabych by Lazar Lagin

The Old Genie Hottabych by Lazar Lagin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Full of Communist teachings and propaganda using a well known fairy tale. This is an amusing modern Russian Fairy Tale from the 1950's, propaganda and all. A Humorous twist on the traditional Genie in the lamp tale, appearing in communist Russia.
Reading this translation of the Russian children's book today is both eye-opening and amusing.

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