Humphrey Carpenter

La biografía del padre de la Tierra Media.Humphrey Carpenter, autor entre otros libros de una biografía del poeta W.H. Auden, narra en esta obra la larga carrera de J.R.R. Tolkien, desde las vicisitudes de una infancia dificil a los trabajos y obligaciones de la vida academica, como profesor en la Universidad de Oxford. Carpenter escribio esta biografia del creador de la Tierra Media consultando documentos ineditos, y entrevistando a parientes y amigos.

Durante años, un reducido número de catedráticos y profesores de Oxford, así como algunos de sus amigos, se reunían en un pub cada jueves por la tarde para tomar unas cervezas, debatir sobre cuestiones como la mitología, la religión o la literatura, y leerse mutuamente las obras que estaban escribiendo. Aunque, probablemente, los encuentros más importantes tuvieron lugar las noches de los martes en las habitaciones de C. S. Lewis en el Magdalen College. Este grupo, que incluía a intelectuales de la talla de Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien y Charles Williams, era conocido por el nombre de Los Inklings. Los Inklings tuvieron una gran influencia tanto en el mundo de la literaria fantástica como en el de la apología cristiana. La presente biografía de Humphrey Carpenter pretende examinar en detalle la naturaleza de aquellas reuniones y su efecto sobre cada uno de sus participantes.

Mr Majeika can behave just like any ordinary teacher if he wants to, but something has to be done about Hamish Bigmore, the class nuisance, and so he uses a little magic to turn him into a frog. And to everyone's delight it looks as if Hamish will have to remain a frog because Mr Majeika can't remember the spell to turn him back again! With Mr Majeika in charge, suddenly life at school become much more exciting - there's even a magic-carpet ride to Buckingham Palace!

No passa sovint que el nou professor es presenti volant, el primer dia de classe, muntant una alfombra magica. I és que no passa quasi mai que el nou professor sigui un bruixot, ¿veritat? Ara bé, quan això passa, ja podeu suposar que les coses no seran com sempre. Ni molt menys! A partir de 10 anys.

"Music teacher? What music teacher?" The sudden arrival of a new music teacher throws St Barty's School into confusion. Horrid smells start coming from the staffroom and creepy-crawlies suddenly appear. For the new arrival is Wilhelmina Worlock, a wicked witch with some nasty tricks. And it's up to Mr Majeika to try to outwit her . . .

"Do be careful, Mr Majeika, there might be real ghosts in there." When Class Three and Mr Majeika get on board a Ghost Train they are in for a surprise. Real ghosts appear and the wicked Wilhelmina Worlock isn't far away. But Jody comes to the rescue . . . with a dragon to help her. Another magical adventure for Class Three.

'Oh dear' said Mr Majeika. 'I didn't mean to do that at all - I must have used the wrong spell again.' But too many wrong spells for Mr Majeika mean that he will lose his power altogether and Hamish Bigmore will become a wizard. Unless the lost spell book can be found ...

When Class Three and Mr Majeika go to the circus, it's definitely not as fun as they imagined. Everyone's a bit old, creaky and rubbish really! So when Mr Majeika casts a small spell to help the performers with their circus show, it's no surprise that Billy Balance, the slack rope walker, kidnaps Mr Majeika so that Mr Majeika can magically help him everytime! Things get worse whilst Mr majeika is trapped when Wilhelmina Worlock takes the opportunity to turn Class Three's classroom into a circus and the children spend all afternoon running away from lions and alligators! But Mr Majeika's magic saves the day, Class Three and the circus end up on the news and once again Mr Potter, the headmaster, misses it all!