This is a Typewritten Letter Signed ("J.R.R. Tolkien") addressed to a Mrs. Hargreaves, dated 14 November 1961, and composed on Tolkien's personal blind-stamped letterhead from 76 Sandfield Road, Headington, Oxford. In this concise yet remarkably warm response to a reader, Tolkien expresses his characteristic gratitude for correspondence from admirers, noting that letters from readers are a "great encouragement to an author." Crucially, the letter provides a rare contemporary glimpse into his creative process, as he explains that while he has "said almost all that I have to say" about the characters of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, he is still at work upon The Silmarillion, which tells of the Elder Days—a work he confesses has proved "a far more laborious undertaking than I had ever imagined." Typed letters from Tolkien mentioning all three of his great legendarium works are highly sought after, and this example, featuring his bold calligraphic signature in ink, represents a superb opportunity to acquire a piece of literary history that bridges the gap between his most beloved published works and the mythological foundation of Middle-earth. The letter is in fine condition, has a slight tear in the top-center, with typical original mailing folds.