Christopher John Reuel Tolkien was born on November 21, 1924, in Leeds, England. He was the third and youngest son of the renowned author J. R. R. Tolkien and Edith Mary Tolkien. Christopher was an acclaimed academic editor and writer, known primarily for his role as the editor of much of his father's posthumously published works.

He was a distinguished scholar who taught at Oxford University, where his father was also a professor. Christopher's editing career involved an extensive 45-year commitment, during which he edited 24 volumes based on his father's works, including The Silmarillion and the 12-volume series The History of Middle-Earth. His editorial efforts were characterized by his philological expertise, which he used to meticulously research, collate, edit, and comment on his father's Middle-earth writings as if they were real-world legends.

Aside from editing J.R.R. Tolkien's unfinished works, Christopher also edited tales by Geoffrey Chaucer and his father's translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. He was responsible for drawing the original maps for The Lord of the Rings, signing them as C. J. R. T., where the J. stood for John, a name he did not commonly use.

Christopher Tolkien passed away on January 16, 2020, in Draguignan, France, leaving behind a legacy as a literary executor who framed his father's works and inserted himself as a narrator, contributing significantly to the Tolkien legacy.