Friday, December 19, 2008

Las Cartas de Papa Noel/Letters from Father Christmas


J.R.R. Tolkien was a literary master as we all know. He has entranced us with his Ring Trilogy, as well as a number of other writings like the Silmarillian. I 've known common information about Tolkien's personal life, such as the close friendship he and C.S.Lewis (author of the Narnia series and many other fabulous works of fantasy and apologetics) shared despite their theological (Catholic-Protestant) differences. Tolkien reveled in languages and created an altogether new one, Elvish, which one of my daughters mastered to some degree. And, Tolkien had four children, just like I do: John, Christopher, Michael, and Priscilla. What I didn't know. until this Christmas, was that Tolkien wrote letters to his children each December under the guise of Father Christmas for over 20 years! This book, Letters From Father Christmas , is such a joy! Tolkien's attention to any detail that might delight his children amazes me. There is wobbly handwriting from this very old Santa-archetype, envelopes dusted with snow, and even intricate, unique postage stamps, all from the North Pole, of course. Much, much magic here.

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