The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien himself. In letters 29 and 30, it appears that a German translation of "The Hobbit" was being negotiated in 1938. The German firm enquired whether Tolkien was of "Arisch" (Aryan) origin. Tolkien was infuriated by this, and wrote two drafts of possible replies for his publisher to choose. The first one is not present – in it Tolkien is assumed to have refused to give any declaration whatsoever of his racial origins. The second, surviving, draft included: A former signals officer at the Battle of the Somme, Tolkien frequently expressed his great dislike for war, whatever the cause. This is
J. R. R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator was natural and keen. Portraits are conspicuously absent from his work. The book explores Tolkien's art at length, from his childhood paintings and drawings to his final sketches. It reproduces 200 examples of his artwork. At its heart are his illustrations for his books, especially his tales of Middle-earth. Also examined are the pictures Tolkien made for his children (notably in his "The Father Christmas Letters" and "Mr. Bliss"), his expressive calligraphy, his love of decoration, and his contributions to the typography and design of his books. "J. R. R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator" won the 1996 Mythopoeic Scholarship Award