Tolkien Gleanings #231

* Later in 2024 The Tolkien Society plans a two-day conference (online) to celebrate the centenary of Christopher Tolkien’s birth.

* In the Hungarian journal The Anachronist (Eotvos Lorand University, Budapest), “Tolkien Behind the Iron Curtain and Beyond” reviews the recent book J.R.R. Tolkien in Central Europe. Context, Directions, and the Legacy (2023). In English and freely available online.

* Jessica Yates asks “Who was ‘Mr. Rang’?”. Tolkien wrote a long and important late letter to him, of which the draft survived to be published. A plausible candidate for ‘Rang’ is suggested. The only other (and somewhat unlikely) possibility I can dig up is the acclaimed London surgeon Mercer Rang (1933-2003). He was a leading specialist in healing children’s bone fractures, and from 1967 was in Toronto in Canada. He was also an accomplished non-fiction medical historian and anthologist, and might conceivably have had an interest in the best children’s literature (as an aid to the recovery of his long-term patients). Although I guess Tolkien would have known to address him as “Dr. Rang”.

* In the new book The Bible and Western Christian Literature: Twentieth Century to the Present Day (2024), the chapter “Remythologizing Faith: Biblical Fantasy and the Inklings’ Romantic Theology”.

* Coming soon via the FACTS podcast, another interview with Holly Ordway on her book Tolkien’s Faith.

* In a market town in mid Wales, a local newspaper has a new feature in which “Machynlleth Tolkien collector shares tips” on collecting Tolkien editions. With a picture of his local market stall, which looks worth seeking out should you be passing through on your way to the coast.

* On YouTube, the August 2024 Update for the Digital Tolkien Project.

* And finally, the World Fantasy Convention (who knew?) is to be held in Brighton, 30th October – 2nd November 2025.