Leonard Lopate at Large: John McQuillen

Today on Leonard Lopate at Large, Leonard welcomes the assistant curator of printed books and bindings at the Morgan Library John McQuillen discussing the work on display, a new exhibition Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth, that makes this show critical viewing for any true Tolkien fan.

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” With these 10 words, the Oxford professor J.R.R. Tolkien ignited a fervid spark in generations of readers.

From the children’s classic “The Hobbit” to the epic “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, J.R.R. Tolkien’s adventurous tales of hobbits and elves, dwarves and wizards have introduced millions to the rich history of Middle-earth, the world of his own creation.

The Morgan Library & Museum’s new exhibition Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earthcelebrates the man and his creation. The most extensive public display of original Tolkien material for several generations, the show will include family photographs and memorabilia, Tolkien’s original illustrations, maps, draft manuscripts, and designs related to “The Hobbit,” “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Silmarillion.”