Question about 50th anniversary edition

On Thu, 04 Nov 2004 21:24:14 -0500, Flame of the West
<jsolinas.RemoveThis@comcast.net> wrote:

 >Larry Swain wrote:
 >
  >> The Estate also apparently pulled the plug on the project to
  >> publish Tolkien's Beowulf translations....largely because of
  >> negative press on the Internet about the movies etc.
 >
 >Could you elaborate? I don't see what the movies
 >have to do with the Beowulf translations.

Indeed. I would have thought that the Estate would have been thrilled
at the opportunity to redeem J.R.R. Tolkien's reputation after it was
so thoroughly trashed by Peter Jackson.

Morgoth's Curse<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Question about 50th anniversary edition 

"Morgoth's Curse" <morgothscurse2002 DeleteThis @nospamyahoo.com> wrote in message
news:bpplo0500qt2u5cqm8mim20h26erhapdl0@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 04 Nov 2004 21:24:14 -0500, Flame of the West
> <jsolinas DeleteThis @comcast.net> wrote:
>
> >Larry Swain wrote:
> >
> >> The Estate also apparently pulled the plug on the project to
> >> publish Tolkien's Beowulf translations....largely because of
> >> negative press on the Internet about the movies etc.
> >
> >Could you elaborate? I don't see what the movies
> >have to do with the Beowulf translations.
>
> Indeed. I would have thought that the Estate would have been thrilled
> at the opportunity to redeem J.R.R. Tolkien's reputation after it was
> so thoroughly trashed by Peter Jackson.

Huh? In what sense did the movies trash Tolkien's reputation? If anything
I've found it's brought more folks to be interested in the books (in my neck
of the woods). As adaptations go, it was not that bad; there have been and
probably will be worse. At any rate, I've yet to hear (or hear of) anyone,
upon seeing the movies, make a claim that Tolkien was not a good
writer/storyteller/Professor of Medieval Literature?
 >> Stay informed about: Question about 50th anniversary edition 

Flame of the West <jsolinas.RemoveThis@comcast.net> wrote in message news:<leudnZ7jCf2FexfcRVn-qw.RemoveThis@comcast.com>...
 > Oren Douek wrote:
 >
  > > The British 50th Anniversary Edition is still not available. Does
  > > anybody (Mr. Hammond?) knows whether it's being reprinted? I'm asking
  > > because I'm a collector and would like to get a first printing of it.
  > > For some reason the book went out of stock with all online retailers
  > > (e.g. Amazon.co.uk) before I realized it had been released! Current
  > > supply estimates are 3-5 weeks, which make me wonder whether there was
  > > an initial, small, first printing, and the book has now gone to a
  > > second printing. Any information regarding this would be much
  > > appreciated.
 >
 > I don't know about what happened here, but be advised that
 > Amazon doesn't always get it right. It might just have
 > been postponed.

There has been only one printing, and of the British de luxe edition
probably will be no more than one printing (only some 2,500 copies, so
don't delay). It _is_ available in U.K. bookshops: one of my friends
in England has bought a copy. A trade edition of the same text will be
out in the U.K. later this year.

There seem to be problems of supply between HarperCollins and Amazon
U.K. Amazon got the new _Silmarillion_ in stock long after it was
reported in shops, and had it at "3-5 weeks" for a long time.

Wayne Hammond<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Question about 50th anniversary edition 

On Thu, 04 Nov 2004 21:24:14 -0500, Flame of the West
<jsolinas.RemoveThis@comcast.net> posted the following:

 >Larry Swain wrote:
 >
  >> The Estate also apparently pulled the plug on the project to
  >> publish Tolkien's Beowulf translations....largely because of
  >> negative press on the Internet about the movies etc.
 >
 >Could you elaborate? I don't see what the movies
 >have to do with the Beowulf translations.

I don't understand that either -- it seems extremely unlikely that the
Tolkien estate would cancel that project based on *internet* bad
reviews of the movies. The movies won tons of awards but because of
those Internet people dissing it, no Beowulf translation for you?

-Chris<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Question about 50th anniversary edition 

Wayne Hammond <Wayne.G.Hammond.DeleteThis@williams.edu> wrote:

 > There has been only one printing, and of the British de luxe edition
 > probably will be no more than one printing (only some 2,500 copies, so
 > don't delay). It _is_ available in U.K. bookshops: one of my friends
 > in England has bought a copy. A trade edition of the same text will be
 > out in the U.K. later this year.

I enquired at a bookshop today (in London) and was told that they are
not expecting the supplies until next week. Looks like some areas are
having problems with supplies.

Christopher

--
---
Reply clue: Saruman welcomes you to Spamgard<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Question about 50th anniversary edition 

 > Could anybody who owns the book describe the book a little,
especially what materials are used (leather, cloth etc.), how´s the
overall impression?

I picked up a copy of the Harper Collins edition on ebay - at half
price too! It has smooth grey paper covered boards with the eye and
rings device stamped in red and gold foil on one side and the JRRT
monogram in gold on the other. The spine is quarter bound in a dark
red textured paper with gold foil lettering on the spine. The pages
are made from better quality paper than the standard edition. The
slipcase is also covered in the dark red textured paper and has a hole
in it to show the Eye of Sauron on the cover. Personally I like it.
It is simple, but has a feel of quality - nice and heavy too! Slides
in and out of the slipcase easily as well - unlike the black deluxe
editions put out by HC in the late 1990s. It won't be to everybody's
taste though - not much in the way of gold leaf.

As far as contents go it has an updated version of Anderson's 'Note on
the Text' and a new introduction by Wayne Hammond concerning the
preparation of the new version of the text. The tengwar ring
inscription is in fiery red letters as Tolkien wanted. The 3 pages
from the Book of Mazarbul are reproduced - a little small in my
opinion - they could have made them fill the pages. They (and the
maps too) are on integral pages that can be folded out - a nice touch.
Plus there are all the corrections and additions to the text as well.
Overall a nice edition, but maybe overpriced at £100. Only £70 at
Amazon though, and if you keep your eyes peeled even cheaper on ebay.

Deagol<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Question about 50th anniversary edition 

deagol wrote:

 > I picked up a copy of the Harper Collins edition on ebay - at half
 > price too!

The Houghton Mifflin version is better-looking
(on the outside) and costs $60 USD (about £32)
on amazon.com.


-- FotW

Reality is for those who cannot cope with Middle-earth.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Question about 50th anniversary edition 

Further to this - the matching Harper Collins deluxe Hobbit is out now
- it is bound in a similar style to LotR, but with a green spine and
slipcase. Instead of the Eye and Rings device on the front board
there are the T-D-T runes in gold and the dragon in red and gold foil.
The slipcase also has the red and gold dragon, and the hole frames
the T-D-T runes.

Inside the pictures are printed on the same paper as the text, rather
than the usual shiny plates - this may be why they seem darker than
normal(?). The illustrations are the versions coloured by H.E.
Riddett. The 'Three Trolls Turns to Stone' illustration appears in
The Hobbit for the first time - not a favourite illustration of mine
to be honest.

Thorin's Map is a fold out affair and is located part way through 'An
Unexpected Party'. The Moon letters are printed on the back, so
"magically" appear when the map is held up to the light - a nice
touch. Also included is a modified version of the Foreword that
Christopher Tolkien prepared for the 50th Anniversary Hobbit in 1987 -
and this time the manuscript pages shown are colour reproductions
rather than grainy "photocopies" - plus a couple of extra pictures
too. The blurb claims that the Wilderland Map is "in blue and black,
as the author originally intended" - but there is little difference
between the black and blue as far as I can see! The Mirkwood
illustration is used as the front endpaper. I haven't checked, but
presumably the changes are all suggestions Tolkien made back in 1937.

Overall, a very nice edition, very solid feeling - a deluxe edition
that you could read without being afraid of damaging it. The improved
version of the Foreword is a very pleasant suprise. £42 on Amazon at
the moment, so not cheap. As with the deluxe LotR some will be
disappointed at the lack of gold leaf, etc, but I'm a simple soul...


Deagol
 >> Stay informed about: Question about 50th anniversary edition 

Is there an American edition of The Hobbit also?


___
John Adcox

Click below for Mythology, Philosophy, Literature, Writing References and more.
http://jadcox.home.mindspring.com
 >> Stay informed about: Question about 50th anniversary edition 

I don't think that there is an American version.

Deagol.
 >> Stay informed about: Question about 50th anniversary edition 

Guess I'll have to bite the bullet and order through Amazon.uk. Thanks for the
heads up.

___
John Adcox

Click below for Mythology, Philosophy, Literature, Writing References and more.
http://jadcox.home.mindspring.com
 >> Stay informed about: Question about 50th anniversary edition 

Does anyone know who the two new family trees in thsi edition are based
around?
 >> Stay informed about: Question about 50th anniversary edition 

Does anyone know who the two new family trees in thsi edition are based
around?
 >> Stay informed about: Question about 50th anniversary edition