This audio is from a tape recording that Tolkien made in August 1952. "The Lord of the Rings," on which he'd worked for over 14 years, had been refused by publishers and he had almost given up hope of ever seeing it in print. But this recording made him believe in it enough again to prompt him to send it to a former pupil who had become a publisher. The result was that even during his lifetime over three million copies were sold.

Listen to this rare recording featuring Tolkien himself reading from "The Two Towers."