1938

June 4th 1938

J.R.R. Tolkien to Stanley Unwin

#32

 Carpenter #28

Tolkien thanks Stanley Unwin for the excellent news from America, where The Hobbit is selling well and it has won a prize of $250. Rayner's review of th...

1939

11 November 1939

C.S. Lewis to W.H. Lewis

#2185

Tolkien and other members of the Inklings meet at the Eastgate Hotel on 9 November. Lewis gives details on the night to his brother Warren. Among readin...

1940

3 February 1940

C.S. Lewis to W.H. Lewis

#2192

C.S. Lewis writing to his brother Warren gives him updates on happenings, and among them a meeting of the Inklings.

20 July 1940

C.S. Lewis to W.H. Lewis

#2206

Hammond and Scull note that there is a meeting of the English Final Honour School examiners on 13-14 July 1940, on which Warnie writes on the 20 July, g...

1943

13 September 1943

J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien

#1386

 Carpenter #49d

Tolkien has organized the next R.N.-R.A.F. course, he will have around 40 cadets and has to attend the Passing Out Parade of the R.N. tomorrow. He is al...

15 December 1943

J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien

#1390

 Carpenter #53a

Tolkien writes to Christopher after hearing from his brother Michael that Christopher had been unwell again. Tolkien updates him on home life, with Edit...

1944

6 January 1944

J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien

#1391

 Carpenter #53b

Tolkien replies to a letter from Christopher, he is glad to hear from him and notes his instructions for his tobacco. He has prayed constantly for his s...

13 April 1944 (continued on 15 April)

J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien

#94

 Carpenter #60

Tolkien expresses gratitude for a recently received airletter, shares updates about writing progress on The Lord of the Rings and mentions spending time...

18 April 1944

J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien

#95

 Carpenter #61

Tolkien expresses joy at receiving a batch of letters and, discusses the distressing but unsurprising uncensored accounts of Christopher's experiences, ...

23 April 1944

J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien

#96

 Carpenter #62

Tolkien gives Christopher an update on his progess on The Two Towers, the second book of The Lord of the Rings. He has read the second chapter, "Passage...

24 April 1944 (continued 26 April)

J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien

#97

 Carpenter #63

Tolkien had received an airletter from Christopher that morning and he read it while enjoying breakfast in bed. He describes the events of St. George's ...

30 April 1944

J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien

#98

 Carpenter #64

Tolkien writes of his longing and concern for Christopher in the midst of war, reflecting on human suffering and the senselessness of conflict. Despite ...

21 May 1944

J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien

#104

 Carpenter #70

Tolkien apologizes for the lapse in correspondence. He gives an update on writing of The Lord of the Rings. He reads for Lewis and Williams and both men...

25 May 1944

J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien

#142

 Carpenter #71

Tolkien expresses gratitude for the letters he has received from Christopher and briefly mentions an inclination to envy his time in the hills. Tolkien ...

31 May 1944

J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien

#143

 Carpenter #72

Writing to Christopher with an update on recent happenings. He had dinner in college and notes that "the three old gents" were very easy to talk to. Lew...

10 June 1944

J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien

#144

 Carpenter #73

Tolkien acknowledges receiving Christopher's air letter and briefly mentions the weather. He provide updates on recent activities, including efforts in ...

23-25 September 1944

J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien

#170

 Carpenter #81

Tolkien expresses joy at receiving an airgraph before Christopher's departure to Standerton. He discusses the progress of the chapters and promises to s...

6 October 1944

J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien

#172

 Carpenter #83

In a newly published portion of this letter Tolkien remarks on what a wonderful week it has been for letters from Christopher. He hopes that letters fro...

24 November 1944

J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien

#179

 Carpenter #90

Tolkien expresses joy at receiving several letters from Christopher and comments on the amusing account of the Wings ceremony. He appreciates the mentio...

1945

17 February 1945

J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien

#1407

 Carpenter #97a

Tolkien says that he is finding lectures hard work, and that he is tired. He is surprised that he does not have written notes for Beowulf beyond approx....

9 October 1945

J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien

#124

 Carpenter #102a

Tolkien writes to his son Christopher, informing him that the Inklings propose to consider him a permanent member. An extract from the letter appears in...

11 October 1945

J.R.R. Tolkien to Christopher Tolkien

#249

 Carpenter #103

Tolkien took a new position, the Merton Professorship of English Language and Literature, and remarks on the occasion.

1955

3 March 1955

J.R.R. Tolkien to Dora Marshall

#407

 Carpenter #159

Tolkien reflects on the challenges of getting their story published, expressing surprise and delight at the positive reception. Tolkien recalls a conver...

2 June 1955

J.R.R. Tolkien to Nathan C. Starr

#203

Tolkien writes that he has been involved with administrative duties as well as other distractions. He hopes that Nathan Starr has The Two Towers and is ...

1957

21 March 1957

J.R.R. Tolkien to Katharine Farrer

#558

 Carpenter #196

Tolkien mentions Jack Lewis and acknowledges having limited knowledge of Lewis's troubles. In the 2023 revised edition of Letters, a brief introductory ...

1963

?Late November -?early December 1963

J.R.R. Tolkien to Michael Tolkien

#627

 Carpenter #252

Tolkien writes about the death of C.S. Lewis.

26 November 1963

J.R.R. Tolkien to Priscilla Tolkien

#626

 Carpenter #251

Tolkien discusses the death of C.S. Lewis.

1964

7 August 1964

J.R.R. Tolkien to Anne Barrett (Houghton Mifflin)

#633

 Carpenter #259

Tolkien discusses Charles Williams and then explains why Tree and Leaf is called Tree and Leaf.

30 August 1964

J.R.R. Tolkien to Anne Barrett (Houghton Mifflin)

#635

 Carpenter #261

A comment on an article about C. S. Lewis by one of his former pupils, George Bailey, in The Reporter, 23 April 1964.

11 November 1964

J.R.R. Tolkien to David Kolb, S.J.

#639

 Carpenter #265

Tolkien was asked about his views on the works of C.S. Lewis.

1965

12 September 1965

J.R.R. Tolkien to Dick Plotz

#650

 Carpenter #276

Tolkien writes about The Silmarillion, the Númenórean legends, and his friendship with C.S. Lewis. He discusses the formation of the Tolkien Society o...

14 September 1965

J.R.R. Tolkien to Donald Swann

#966

Tolkien writes thanking Donald Swann for the tickets to a performance on 18 September. He notes that Priscilla cannot attend but he has asked Dr. Robert...

20 October 1965

J.R.R. Tolkien to Clyde S. Kilby

#652

 Carpenter #278

In the portion of this letter published in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien he writes to Kilby about book, Light on C.S. Lewis. From a personal visit to th...

18 December 1965

J.R.R. Tolkien to Clyde S. Kilby

#655

 Carpenter #282

Professor Kilby, of Wheaton College, Illinois, had met Tolkien while visiting Oxford in 1964. He now offered to return to England and help Tolkien in an...

1966

9 March 1966

J.R.R. Tolkien to Roger Verhulst

#724

Tolkien writes about the publication of a proposed book about him by W.H. Auden. This letter comes shortly after Tolkien had written to W.H. Auden and h...

14 October 1966

J.R.R. Tolkien to Donald Swann

#1014

 Carpenter #289c

Donald Swann had written to Tolkien expressing interest in his poem 'Errantry'. Tolkien replied that was interested in his suggestion but wondered if it...

22 November 1966

J.R.R. Tolkien to Walter Hooper

#664

 Carpenter #291

Hooper had sent Tolkien a new volume of Lewis’s writings, which he had edited.

1967

11 September 1967

J.R.R. Tolkien to William Luther White

#671

 Carpenter #298

White had written to Tolkien asking for information regarding the Inklings. Tolkien replies with some brief information "from memory". He says that the ...

1969

4 June 1969

Christopher Tolkien to J.C. Lobdell

#1018

Christopher answers questions about the Inklings.

1972

11 June 1972

J.R.R. Tolkien to Robert Burchfield

#310

Tolkien writes to Robert Burchfield profusely apologising about not returning one of Robert's books, Kentish Place-names by J.K. Wallenberg.

1977

12 May 1977

Humphrey Carpenter to Dr Harvard

#1564

Humphrey Carpenter writing to Dr. Havard, thanks him for his comments which appear to speak highly of his work on Tolkien. He notes that his next book w...