Leaf by Niggle

By: J. R. R. Tolkien

Narrated by: Derek Jacobi

Tolkien’s acclaimed modern classic ‘fairie’ tale, read by Derek Jacobi.

Leaf by Niggle recounts the strange adventures of the painter Niggle, who sets out to paint the perfect tree. But he senses that he will be snatched away from his work long before it is finished – if indeed it could ever be finished in this world. For it is in another and brighter place that Niggle finds his tree is finished, and learns that it is indeed a real tree, a true part of creation.

Written in the early 1940s at the same time as The Lord of the Rings was taking shape, ‘Leaf by Niggle’ is a passionate adult fairy tale about a man who has ‘a long journey to make’, thought to be an allegory of Tolkien’s own life.

©2016 J. R. R. Tolkien (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

‘As with all good short stories, this one expands in the imagination. Mighty oaks from tiny acorns grow, indeed.’ The Times

‘Brings a wistful charm to complex issues of truth, beauty, duty and creative aspiration.’ The Herald

‘A haunting and successful demonstration of the qualities of faerie’ New York Times

An ending we would all envy!

I have long loved this story and this performance did not let me down!

A nice pace and enjoyable tone. I will definitely add this to the entertainment playlist!

A Perfect Reading by Sir Derek Jacobi

My favorite of Tolkien's short works and my favorite actor make this a perfect listen.

wonderful short read.

it's a must buy, especially for the price. it's a work of tolkien that's not aswell known but it iS FANTASTIC. Also the narrator does a wonderful job with the characters etc..just a pleasure to listen to.

delightful

loved this children like story. I highly recommend it for its whimsy and joy.

Wonderful short tale by Tolkien

This is a wonderful short story about an aspiring painter Mr. Niggle who lives in a town in which the leaders and his closest friend and neighbor Mr. Parrish do not appreciate art. Mr. Niggle is working on a large canvas painting of a tree but when he is drawn away from his project to help Mr. Parrish and his life takes a turn. At its start I thought this would be a light hearted tale but it turned out to be rather deep and affecting. Mr. Niggle's experience is an allegory for something but I won't say as I don't want to give any spoilers.

I bought this on Audible for a buck and some change. A fine investment, I listened to it twice. The narration by Derek Jacobi was perfect. All the stars!

A Good, Yet Short Read

Would you consider the audio edition of Leaf by Niggle to be better than the print version?

This is a short book, so I would have to say the audio edition is the better option.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Leaf by Niggle?

Tolkien, doesn't like procrastination it seems. Many of his characters are unwillingly 'whisked' into their adventures and Niggle isn't any different. This became obvious when he is taken, unwillingly, to his adventure.

What about Derek Jacobi’s performance did you like?

It's good for the time it was recorded and I feel the reader was good at portraying the characters.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

"Yes, I made this tiny book into a trilogy too" - Peter Jackson

Lovely

A simple fable about the value and wonder that an ordinary unspectacular life carries within it if we take time and have the courage to notice.

Short, but Not Shallow

I enjoyed this one so much, I'm going to listen to it again right away.

I was expecting a simple little tale to entertain me for an hour. It turned out to be a truly great story with surprising depth.
I was fully engaged from beginning to end.

The narrator's performance was truly fantastic - like homemade buttercream frosting on this literary Cupcake.

Wonderful Inspiring Story

This is an absolutely wonderful story, beautifully read. A story to be listened to again and again.

Short story by Tolkien. Love it!

This was a great little short story by a master storyteller. I greatly enjoyed it