Humphrey Carpenter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Humphrey Carpenter
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| Born | Humphrey William Bouverie Carpenter 29 April 1946 Oxford, England |
| Died | 4 January 2005 (aged 58) Oxford, England |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | Keble College, Oxford |
| Notable works | J. R. R. Tolkien: A Biography Mr Majeika |
Humphrey William Bouverie Carpenter (born April 29, 1946 – died January 4, 2005) was a British writer, biographer, and radio host. He is best known for writing about J. R. R. Tolkien and other authors from a group called the Inklings.
Contents
About Humphrey Carpenter
Humphrey Carpenter was born, lived most of his life, and passed away in Oxford, England. His father, Harry Carpenter, was a Bishop of Oxford. His mother, Urith Monica Trevelyan, was trained in a special teaching method called Fröbel.
Early Life and Education
As a child, Humphrey lived at Keble College, Oxford. His father was the "warden" there, which means he was in charge of the college. Humphrey went to the Dragon School in Oxford and then Marlborough College. After that, he studied English at Keble College.
Famous Books and Biographies
Humphrey Carpenter wrote many important biographies. A biography is a book about someone's life. His most famous biography was J. R. R. Tolkien: A Biography (1977). He also helped edit The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien.
He wrote another well-known book called The Inklings: CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien, Charles Williams and their Friends (1978). This book won an award called the Somerset Maugham Award. He also wrote about other famous people like W. H. Auden, Ezra Pound, and Evelyn Waugh.
Books for Young Readers
Humphrey Carpenter also wrote popular children's books. His Mr Majeika series was very popular and was even made into a TV show. Another children's adventure book he wrote was The Joshers: Or London to Birmingham with Albert and Victoria (1977). This story was inspired by a trip on a narrowboat along the Grand Union Canal.
He also worked with his wife to create The Oxford Companion to Children's Literature (1984). This book is a helpful guide to children's books and authors.
A Career in Broadcasting
Humphrey Carpenter was also a talented radio host. He started his career at BBC Radio Oxford. There, he worked as a presenter and producer. He met his future wife, Mari Prichard, at the BBC. They got married in 1973.
He helped start a show on Radio 3 called Night Waves, which discussed arts. He also presented other shows like In Tune. Until he passed away, he hosted the BBC Radio 4 series Great Lives. In this show, guests would talk about people who inspired them.
Musical Talents and Hobbies
Besides writing and broadcasting, Humphrey Carpenter was a skilled musician. He played jazz music and was good at the piano, saxophone, and double-bass. In the 1970s, he even played the double-bass professionally in a dance band.
In 1983, he started his own jazz band called Vile Bodies. This band played music from the 1930s and often performed at the Ritz Hotel in London. He also founded a children's drama group in Oxford called the Mushy Pea Theatre Group. This group performed his musical Mr Majeika: The Musical and another musical called Babes.
Later Years and Legacy
Humphrey Carpenter passed away in 2005 from heart failure. He had also been living with Parkinson's disease for several years. He was buried in Wolvercote Cemetery in Oxford, which is also where J. R. R. Tolkien was laid to rest.
A special stained glass window was put in St Margaret's Institute to remember his many achievements. He is remembered by his wife and their two daughters, Clare and Kate.
See also
In Spanish: Humphrey Carpenter para niños
