Quote

If you're going to have a complicated story you must work to a map otherwise you'll never make a map of it afterwards.

J. R. R. Tolkien

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J. R. R. Tolkien
Age: 81 †
Born: 1892
Born: January 3
Died: 1973
Died: September 2
Author
Essayist
Historian
Illustrator
Linguist
Literary Critic
Military Officer
Poet
Teacher
Translator
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien
John R. R. Tolkien
J-R-R Tolkien
Tolkien
J.R.R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
Make
Maps
Never
Otherwise
Complicated
Story
Stories
Must
Going
Work
Afterwards

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Now it is a strange thing, but things that are good to have and days that are good to spend are soon told about, and not much to listen to while things that are uncomfortable, palpitating, and even gruesome, may make a good tale, and take a deal of telling anyway.
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Memory is not what the heart desires.
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Speak, or I will put a dint in your hat that even a wizard will find hard to deal with!
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And then all the host of Rohan burst into song, and they sang as they slew, for the joy of battle was on them, and the sound of their singing that was fair and terrible came even to the City.
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Adventures are not all pony-rides in May-sunshine.
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Come, Mr. Frodo!' he cried. 'I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you.
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Don't put a lump of rock under my elbow again!
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True education is a kind of never ending story — a matter of continual beginnings, of habitual fresh starts, of persistent newness.
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Nearly all marriages, even happy ones, are mistakes: in the sense that almost certainly (in a more perfect world, or even with a little more care in this very imperfect one) both partners might be found more suitable mates. But the real soul-mate is the one you are actually married to.
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The stars are far brighter Than gems without measure, The moon is far whiter Than silver in treasure The fire is more shining On hearth in the gloaming Than gold won by mining, So why go a-roaming? O! Tra-la-la-lally Come back to the Valley.
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No language is justly studied merely as an aid to other purposes. It will in fact better serve other purposes, philological or historical, when it is studied for love, for itself.
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You will notice already that Mr. Baggins was not quite so prosy as he liked to believe, also that he was very fond of flowers.
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We are being at once wisely aware of our own frivolity if we avoid hitting and whacking and prefer 'striking' and 'smiting' talk and chat and prefer 'speech' and 'discourse' well-bred, brilliant, or polite noblemen (visions of snobbery columns in the Press, and fat men on the Riviera) and prefer the 'worthy, brave and courteous men' of long ago.
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Don't the great tales never end? No, they never end as tales, said Frodo. But the people in them come, and go when their part's ended. Our part will end later – or sooner.
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Aure entuluva! day shall come again!
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If you mean you think it is my job to go into the secret passage first, O Thorin Thrain’s son Oakenshield, may your beard grow ever longer,” he said crossly, “say so at once and have done!
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Their 'magic' is Art, delivered from many of its human limitations.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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If you took this thing on yourself, unwilling, at others' asking, then you have pity and honour from me. And I marvel at you: to keep it hid and not to use it. You are a new people and a new world to me. Are all your kin of like sort? Your land must be a realm of peace and content, and there must gardners be in high hounour.
J. R. R. Tolkien
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Trolls simply detest the very sight of dwarves (uncooked).
J. R. R. Tolkien
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Evidently we look so much alike that your desire to make an incurable dent in my hat must be excused.
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