For some time, Niggle has been working on a painting of a great tree and its surroundings, but he can never seem to finish it, as he faces one minor setback after another. In the story, Niggle is a painter, although “not a very successful one”-the type “who can paint leaves better than trees,” Tolkien writes. The story provides a window into Tolkien’s creative process and his hope that fantasy stories, often considered mere children’s fare, would gain a genuine foothold in literature and transport readers to new realms. Tolkien was perhaps never so unsure of the future than in January 1945, when, with World War II winding down and The Lord of the Rings still nearly 10 years away from being released, he published a semiautobiographical short story titled “Leaf by Niggle” in The Dublin Review.

A close look at his life reveals that he faced fierce criticism and had his own doubts about his writing career. Such runaway success was never guaranteed for Tolkien. And if six Hollywood blockbusters weren’t enough, Amazon Prime is now producing a new series based on less explored parts of the Middle-earth mythology. The mumbling, mild-mannered Oxford professor who brought imaginary realms to life remains one of the most popular writers in the world more than 60 years after the publication of The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien opens in theaters nationwide, just as an exhibition of the author’s art, manuscripts, and maps concludes at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York City. There’s good reason to discuss hobbits again this spring: On Friday, a biopic about the life of J.

Jrr tolkien tree and leaf