C.S. Lewis’s close friend and fellow author Tolkien was John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, commonly known as J.R.R. Tolkien. His first name was John.
Lewis and Tolkien met as Oxford academics and became members of the Inklings, a literary discussion group that met mainly at The Eagle and Child pub. They read portions of works in progress to one another and discussed mythology, language, literature, and Christianity.
Tolkien was developing The Lord of the Rings during this period, while Lewis was writing works including The Chronicles of Narnia and the Space Trilogy. Their friendship helped sustain both writers, although they did not agree on every literary or religious question.
The initials in Tolkien’s familiar pen name can cause confusion. “J.R.R.” stands for John Ronald Reuel, while “Tolkien” is his surname. Lewis’s other major friendship within the Inklings included Charles Williams, but Tolkien is the fellow author most strongly associated with Lewis in popular accounts of Oxford literary life.