Letter 331b

The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
Letter 331b
Recipient	Michael Tolkien
Date	19 December 1971
Subject(s)	Christmas plans

Letter 331b is a letter written by J.R.R. Tolkien and published in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Revised and Expanded edition.

Summary

In a letter to his son Michael, Tolkien shared that he was feeling overwhelmed with various business issues, mainly arising from the necessity of selling his house and dismantling his home and workspace. Additionally, he mentioned his struggles with illness, specifically a bronchial virus and a recurrence of dysenteric symptoms, which had further complicated matters.

Despite these challenges, Tolkien conveyed his love and best wishes for Christmas and the New Year to Michael and his wife, Joan. He mentioned his plans to visit his son John and then go to his sister, Prisca, at the end of the year. Tolkien described himself as being homeless, without access to his books and papers, and living out of suitcases. However, he remained hopeful about having a quiet celebration on his birthday in Oxford.