The Tolkien Society is pleased to announce it will be hosting the online Christopher Tolkien Centenary Conference on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th November 2024. This November marks 100 years since the birth of Christopher Tolkien and the Society will be holding a two-day online event in honour of his life and legacy. You can register to attend the online Conference below.
Programme en ligne (plusieurs fuseaux horaires) nb : Vincent ferré, « A polyphonic tribute to Christopher Tolkien – from France » (dans la session Alan Lee / Richard Ovenden / Chris Smith)
We will be joined by some of the best authors, scholars and artists in the Tolkien community to honour Christopher Tolkien and his legacy.
Confirmed speakers (in alphabetical order):
- Douglas A. Anderson — editor of The Annotated Hobbit
- Nicholas Birns — author of The Literary Role of History in the Fiction of J.R.R. Tolkien
- Denis Bridoux — independent Tolkien scholar specialising in Tolkien’s artwork and heraldic devices
- Sara Brown — lecturer on Tolkien, and Language and Literature Department Chair at Signum University
- Sonali Chunodkar — researcher on secondary beliefs in Tolkien’s works
- Michael D. C. Drout — editor of Beowulf and the Critics, and J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia; co-editor of Tolkien Studies
- Vincent Ferré — Professor in Comparative Literature (University Sorbonne Nouvelle), translator, and editor of Dictionnaire Tolkien. Literary advisor to the Estate of Christopher Tolkien
- Dimitra Fimi — Tolkien scholar and fantasy professor at the University of Glasgow, co-editor of A Secret Vice, author of Tolkien, Race and Cultural History
- Verlyn Flieger — editor of Smith of Wootton Major, The Story of Kullervo, and The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun; author of Splintered Light
- William Fliss — Tolkien archivist at Marquette University’s Raynor Library
- John Garth — author of Tolkien and the Great War, The Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien and Tolkien at Exeter College
- Christopher Gilson — chief editor of Parma Eldalamberon and leading member of the Elvish Linguistic Fellowship
- Nick Groom — author of Twenty-First-Century Tolkien
- Peter Grybauskas — editor of The Battle of Maldon: together with The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth
- Wayne G. Hammond — co-editor of The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Roverandom, co-author of J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator, The Lord of the Rings: A Reader’s Companion, The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide
- Andrew Higgins — co-editor of A Secret Vice
- Thomas Honegger — co-editor of Sub-creating Arda and Laughter in Middle-earth: Humour in and around the Works of J.R.R. Tolkien
- Carl F. Hostetter — editor of The Nature of Middle-earth and Vinyar Tengwar
- John Howe — artist who has illustrated covers for The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The History of Middle-earth
- Yvette Kisor — researcher on medieval literature and the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, co-editor of Tolkien Studies and Tolkien and Alterity
- Kristine Larsen — writer and researcher on science and astronomy in Tolkien’s works
- Alan Lee — artist who has illustrated The Lord of the Rings, The Children of Húrin, Beren and Lúthien and The Fall of Númenor
- Ted Nasmith — artist who has illustrated The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales
- Richard Ovenden — Bodley’s Librarian and co-editor of The Great Tales Never End
- John D. Rateliff — author of The History of The Hobbit
- Robin Anne Reid — researcher on Tolkien fandom, fan fiction, and race in Tolkien’s works
- Christina Scull — co-editor of The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Roverandom, co-author of J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator, The Lord of the Rings: A Reader’s Companion, The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide
- Brian Sibley — author of The Fall of Númenor
- Chris Smith — the Tolkien editor of HarperCollins
- James Tauber — researcher on corpus linguistics and digital humanities for Tolkien’s works
- Jessica Yates — writer of the introduction and commentaries to Joan Wyatt’s A Middle-earth Album, researcher into Tolkien’s sources
We will have both talks and panels across the weekend. Speakers will cover topics including (but not limited to): reflecting on Christopher Tolkien’s life and works; Christopher as an author in his own right; Christopher as an editor and curator of his father’s works; reminisces of Christopher; and working with him on other projects. The full schedule will be published closer to the event.
A selection of the talks will be recorded and hosted online after the event. You can see talks from previous events on our YouTube channel.