No one knows a book like its author. That's why some of the most powerful audiobooks are read by the person who wrote them. While this is mostly found in contemporary titles, one legendary author from decades ago also brought his stories to life with his voice. J.R.R. Tolkien, creator of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, recorded selections from his work, which have luckily been preserved for many generations of fans to enjoy.
The story of how Tolkien recorded these bits dates back to 1967. Thirty years after the publication of The Hobbit and over a decade from the debut of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Tolkien's work exploded in popularity. Driven by word of mouth among college students and extra publicity from a legal dispute, the titles became a pop culture phenomenon. The momentum prompted Caedmon Records, a label devoted to literary works read by their authors, to release the spoken-word poetry album titled Poems and Songs of Middle Earth.
This record features seven poems from The Lord of the Rings or related to the story, as well as a song cycle by composer Donald Swann set to verses from Tolkien's magnum opus. While the latter had a lukewarm reception, Tolkien's readings were met with praise. He didn't have the depth of a radio announcer of the time, but the recording has notable elements. For example, the two Elvish languages created by Tolkien make an appearance, both as spoken word by the author and sung by vocalist William Elvin, allowing people to fully understand how they sound out loud as conceived by Tolkien.
The success among the literary community inspired Caedmon Records to bring Tolkien back into the studio. The result was two more releases that came out posthumously in 1975; the first with selections from The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, and the second with selections from The Two Towers and The Return of the King.
Caedmon Records has since disappeared, making physical copies of these albums hard to come by, but there are still ways to listen to them. The YouTube channel The Professor Tolkien Reads has compiled all these recordings in three convenient playlists for your enjoyment. If you're a fan of physical media and need to add them to your Lord of the Rings collection, we recommend browsing Discogs, where there are a few (although pricey) copies for sale.
J.R.R. Tolkien, creator of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, recorded selections from his work, which have luckily been preserved for many generations of fans to enjoy.
In 1967, Caedmon Records released Poems and Songs of Middle Earth, which features this version of “The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.”
The company brought Tolkien back in the studio for two more releases; the first with selections from The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring…
… and the second with selections from The Two Towers and The Return of the King, which features this recording of “Lament for Boromir.”
Sources: J. R. R. Tolkien Reads from The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings & Other Works; The Professor Tolkien Reads on YouTube; jbdyer on Reddit
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