The UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS Calendar, 1920-21.

Bookseller Notes

A scarce ephemeron, with holdings at BL, Bodley, Cambridge, Leeds and Dublin - notable for an early appearance of the adult Tolkien's name in print. Aged 28, and at a significant juncture in his life and career, Tolkien is listed as a 'Reader in English Literature' in the entry for the 'English Language and Literature Department' on p. 91; he is also mentioned in the same context at the head of the course summaries for the department on p. 180.'In 1920 [Tolkien] received the appointment of reader in English language at the University of Leeds, and could perhaps feel thatmarried, securely employed, with his first son, John, born in November 1917 and his second, Michael, in October 1920he was experiencing domestic stability for the first time since babyhood [...]Tolkien's professional career in the 1920s was also extremely successful. With the encouragement of his head of department at Leeds, George S. Gordon, he built up the language side of the English department until it rivalled literature in popularity with undergraduates.'