Dr. Andrew Higgins received a PhD in 2015 from Cardiff Metropolitan University. His PhD thesis ‘The Genesis of Tolkien’s Mythology’ explored the first major expression of Tolkien’s mythology The Book of Lost Tales materials, with a specific emphasis on the interrelated nature of myth and language in Tolkien’s earliest world-building. He has currently just completed co-editing a new edition of Tolkien’s 1930’s talk on language invention ‘A Secret Vice’ with Dr. Dimitra Fimi. This new variorum edition with commentary is due out from HarperCollins in April 2016. Andrew has given Tolkien related papers at The International Medieval Congresses at Kalamazoo and Leeds, The Enchanted Edwardians Conference in Bristol and at the UK Tolkien Society. He has contributed several book reviews to Mythlore and The Online Journal of Tolkien Research. He is a proud inaugural member of The Mythgard Institute having taken (to date) 15 courses, serving as a Board Member and about to teach his first course ‘Language Invention through Tolkien’ in Spring 2016. His specific focus of research is on all aspects of Tolkien’s (and others) language invention and how it relates to story and world-building. Andrew is also the Director of Development for Glyndebourne Opera in East Sussex where he is responsible for leading a team to raise funding for all opera productions and related activity.
