Leaf by Niggle

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J.R.R. Tolkien: Leaf by Niggle (2016, HarperCollins Publishers Limited)

English language

Published Dec. 18, 2016 by HarperCollins Publishers Limited.

ISBN:
978-0-00-820553-9
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4 stars (2 reviews)

1 edition

Review of 'Leaf by Niggle' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Tolkien, deep in the midst of creating his now-famous (and now-complete) masterpiece, the Lord of the Rings, wrote this short-form, lighter fiction as a way of working through the difficulty of such long, detailed, and seemingly interminable labor to produce some art that would meet his desired expectations.

Along the way, he re-examines what constitutes art, and how beauty is made not just by the painter with canvas, but by the gardener with soil, and by extension, any who apply their God-given talents and practice-refined skills towards creating beauty in the world around them, beauty that reflects in small part the illustrious handiwork of our own Maker.

I highly recommend this short story, especially to those who may feel overwhelmed by a project, or to those who feel themselves "not artistically talented like those other people".

Subjects

  • English literature