John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (January 1892 – September 1973) was an English writer, poet, and academic who authored the globally renowned high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. Tolkien served as Professor of English and Anglo-Saxon at the University of Leeds and Oxford. Tolkien created the fantasy worlds called Arda and Middle-earth within and around which most of his works are based. Tolkien is widely recognized as the “father” of modern fantasy literature. He was ranked as “The 50 Greatest British Writers since 1945” by Times Magazine in 2008. Tolkien’s works have been adapted into award-winning blockbuster films.