Tolkien How an Obscure Oxford Professor Wrote The Hobbit and Became the Most Beloved Author of the Century Devin Brown Abingdon Press

This is a good introductory biography to Tolkien by a respected English Professor. Devin Brown has written a warm and sympathetic biography in which he studies the main influences on the great writer's works, especially his star-crossed romance, his beloved Catholic faith, his parent's early deaths and the loss of many of his friends in The First World War.

I found the description of his long friendship with C.S. Lewis and how Lewis encouraged him especially interesting. This will make any fan of Tolkien want to read and learn more about him.