Here is a snippet from one of the pages of Wikipedia that I thought you might enjoy:
Many commentators have remarked on a number of potential parallels between the Middle-earth saga and events in Tolkien's lifetime. The Lord of the Rings is often thought to represent England during and immediately after World War II. Tolkien ardently rejected this opinion in the foreword to the second edition of the novel, stating he preferred applicability to allegory. This theme is taken up at greater length in his essay "On Fairy-Stories", where he argues that fairy-stories are so apt because they are consistent both within themselves and with some truths about reality. He concludes that Christianity itself follows this pattern of inner consistency and external truth. His belief in the fundamental truths of Christianity leads commentators to find Christian themes in The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien objected strongly to C. S. Lewis's use of religious references in his stories, which were often overtly allegorical. However, Tolkien wrote that the Mount Doom scene exemplified lines from the Lord's Prayer.
- Tolkien had an intense dislike for the side effects of industrialization, which he considered to be devouring the English countryside. For most of his adult life, he was disdainful of cars, preferring to ride a bicycle. This attitude can be seen in his work, most famously in the portrayal of the forced "industrialization" of the Shire in The Lord of the Rings.
Many commentators have remarked on a number of potential parallels between the Middle-earth saga and events in Tolkien's lifetime. The Lord of the Rings is often thought to represent England during and immediately after World War II. Tolkien ardently rejected this opinion in the foreword to the second edition of the novel, stating he preferred applicability to allegory. This theme is taken up at greater length in his essay "On Fairy-Stories", where he argues that fairy-stories are so apt because they are consistent both within themselves and with some truths about reality. He concludes that Christianity itself follows this pattern of inner consistency and external truth. His belief in the fundamental truths of Christianity leads commentators to find Christian themes in The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien objected strongly to C. S. Lewis's use of religious references in his stories, which were often overtly allegorical. However, Tolkien wrote that the Mount Doom scene exemplified lines from the Lord's Prayer.
- Tolkien was a close friend of C.S. Lewis (for more information, please visit http://magicalnarnia.weebly.com/about-cs-lewis.html [a friend of mine made that website]) When C.S. Lewis fell away from Christianity, it was J.R.R. Tolkien who brought him back. However, he was somewhat disappointed that his friend joined the Church of England.
- Tolkien (and C.S. Lewis) was a leading figure at Oxford University
- Tolkien's Elvish languages were based off of Latin (which I myself am studying) as well as Finnish, Welsh, English and Greek.
- Even though his first name was John, he was almost always called Ronald
- Was bitten by a tarantula while in South Africa
- Played rugby all through his school years
- Broke his nose and cut his tongue playing rugby
- Met Edith, three years his senior, when he was sixteen
- His guardian banned him from seeing Edith until he had turned twenty-one (he was eighteen when the ban was enacted)
- Failed to win a scholarship to Oxford University in 1909, but succeeded the next year
- By age 19, he was quite dedicated to smoking his pipe
- Created numerous school clubs, including T.C.B.S., the Apolausticks, and the Kolbítar
- Another Tolkien-formed group, the Viking Club, translated nursery rhymes into Anglo-Saxon
- Always detested anything French, including the language and the cooking
- Disliked Shakespeare with a passion
- Loathed allegory in all its forms, although ironically his story Leaf by Niggle is somewhat allegorical
- Enjoyed playing card games Bridge and Patience (the latter is also called Solitaire)
- Was a signals officer in his battalion during WWI
- Worked on New English Dictionary entries U-Z
- At age 27, he started writing his diary entries in his own alphabet
- Enjoyed solving crossword puzzles and doodling Middle-earthian designs on them
- Had four children: John, Christopher, Michael, and Priscilla
- Served part-time duty as air raid warden during WWII
- His first car was a Morris Cowley nicknamed "Jo"
- Thought his friend C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia was silly and immature
- Converted Lewis back to Christianity
- The Hobbit's first line was written while Tolkien graded exam papers
- Was a skilled artist--his own drawings were published in The Hobbit, and his calligraphy was always elegant and adorned
- Christopher Tolkien's first wife, Faith, sculpted a bust of Tolkien, which Tolkien later had cast in bronze
- Tolkien and his wife are buried in the same grave. Below his name on the tombstone is inscribed "Beren" and below Edith's name is inscribed "Lúthien," in honor of two characters from The Silmarillion.
- When the Church changed the hymns from Latin to English, Tolkien was not very happy, and *very loudly* sung the hymns in Latin while everyone else sang it in English!