LOTR online?

[cc'd to previous poster; follow-ups in newsgroup suggested]

It seems "Melisma" wrote in rec.arts.books.tolkien:
 >Does anyone know where I can find the text of the books online?

Welcome to the newsgroup. I don't think you've been here before.
Ordinarily a good idea is to hang out for a while and read the FAQs
before posting questions.

As you might expect, your question _is_ a FAQ. Have a look at the
"Tolkien FAQs" link in my sig for the answer to your question, and
many more.

 >I've tried the Gutenberg Project, btw, and it's not there - although some
 >others of Tolkien's books are...

I find that extremely dubious. As far as I know, they're all still
in copyright, and the Gutenberg Project is pretty careful about
things like that.

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Cortland County, New York, USA
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Tolkien FAQs: <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://Tolkien.slimy.com" target="_blank">http://Tolkien.slimy.com</a> (Steuard Jensen's site)
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more FAQs: <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/faqget.htm" target="_blank">http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/faqget.htm</a><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: LOTR online? 

It seems "Melisma" wrote in rec.arts.books.tolkien:
 >The library
 >says they are checked out and not due back for months, they are so popular.

Where is there a library that lets a book stay out for months?

If what the librarian meant was that there are so many other
reserves that you won't get the books for months, ask for a
suggestion form or just write a note on plain paper, addressed to
the chief librarian, suggesting that since the books are so popular
that people are waiting months for them, the library might like to
invest in additional copies. Be sure to put your name and address so
you look like a responsible member of the community.

But are paperback editions _really_ that expensive? For most young
adults, a full set of LotR in paperback costs less than one night
out partying with friends.

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Cortland County, New York, USA
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://OakRoadSystems.com" target="_blank">http://OakRoadSystems.com</a>
Tolkien FAQs: <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://Tolkien.slimy.com" target="_blank">http://Tolkien.slimy.com</a> (Steuard Jensen's site)
Tolkien letters FAQ:
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://users.telerama.com/~taliesen/tolkien/lettersfaq.html" target="_blank">http://users.telerama.com/~taliesen/tolkien/lettersfaq.html</a>
FAQ of the Rings: <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm" target="_blank">http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm</a>
Encyclopedia of Arda: <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/default.htm" target="_blank">http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/default.htm</a>
more FAQs: <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/faqget.htm" target="_blank">http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/faqget.htm</a><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: LOTR online? 

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 10:34:33 -0800, "Melisma" <melisma.TakeThisOut@uniserve.com>
wrote:

 >I've tried the Gutenberg Project, btw, and it's not there - although some
 >others of Tolkien's books are...

Not found at a search of the Project Gutenberg catalog at
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.gutenberg.net/faq/G-16.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.gutenberg.net/faq/G-16.shtml</a>

In fact they have a little question-and-answer thingie on this page
that includes Tolkien:

  "G.16. Why don't you have any books by Steven King, Tom
  Clancy, Tolkien, etc.?"

  "Project Gutenberg can publish only books that are in the
  public domain [C.10] unless we have the permission of the
  copyright holder. Current bestsellers have not yet entered the
  public domain, and we're not likely to get permission from the
  authors to publish them."


Barb<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: LOTR online? 

Melisma <melisma.DeleteThis@uniserve.com> wrote:
 > Does anyone know where I can find the text of the books online?

Hopefully nowhere. No legal copies that is.

 > The library says they are checked out and not due back for months,
they
 > are so popular. And I can't afford to buy them right now.

I guess you'll have to start saving. You might be able to find cheap
copies in a second-hand book store, charity shop or other second-hand
shop.

 > I've tried the Gutenberg Project, btw, and it's not there - although
 > some others of Tolkien's books are...

Really? I couldn't find any there.

Christopher

--
---
Reply clue: Saruman welcomes you to Spamgard

"None saw her last meeting with Elrond her father, for they went up
into the hills and there spoke long together, and bitter was their
parting that should endure beyond the ends of the world." - Arwen's
farewell (Many Partings, RotK - JRR Tolkien)<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: LOTR online? 

On 2004-02-14, Melisma <melisma DeleteThis @uniserve.com> wrote:
 >
 >
 > Does anyone know where I can find the text of the books online? The library
 > says they are checked out and not due back for months, they are so popular.
 > And I can't afford to buy them right now. So if I can find the text online,
 > I might be able to finally read them. (I read The Hobbit in college, but
 > never read LOTR - and now I've seen the movies, I NEED to, LOL!)
 >
 > I've tried the Gutenberg Project, btw, and it's not there - although some
 > others of Tolkien's books are...
 >
 > Thanks.
 >
 > Melisma (going back to lurking here under her Rock)
  Seeing as how the text is still under copyright, you are highly
  unlikely to find it online. Might be worth it to check used book
  stores and the like (Common' you can't be *that* broke). I mean,
  heck, I picked up the really nice illustrated, hard cover, 3 book
  set from amazon.com recently for only $60 or so, new.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: LOTR online? 

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 16:33:55 -0500, Stan Brown
<the_stan_brown.RemoveThis@fastmail.fm> wrote:
 >
 >But are paperback editions _really_ that expensive? For most young
 >adults, a full set of LotR in paperback costs less than one night
 >out partying with friends.

Now, honestly, Stan? Where IS your head? You certainly don't expect a
Modern Young Adult to give up a Party for some old book, do you?
Especially when it can be
ripped^H^H^H^H^H^Hcopied^H^H^H^H^H^Hevaluated with an evaluation copy
from the internet?


the softrat
"LotR: You've seen the epic. Now experience the Whole Story!"
mailto:softrat@pobox.com
--
When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. --
Steven Wright<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: LOTR online? 

"Melisma" <melisma.DeleteThis@uniserve.com> wrote in message
news:102sqi3kph8lq5d@corp.supernews.com...
 > Does anyone know where I can find the text of the books online? The
library
 > says they are checked out and not due back for months, they are so
popular.
 > And I can't afford to buy them right now. So if I can find the text
online,
 > I might be able to finally read them. (I read The Hobbit in college, but
 > never read LOTR - and now I've seen the movies, I NEED to, LOL!)
 >
 > I've tried the Gutenberg Project, btw, and it's not there - although some
 > others of Tolkien's books are...
 >
 > Thanks.
 >
 > Melisma (going back to lurking here under her Rock)
 >
 >
 >
 >

I have all three for Palm format.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: LOTR online? 

On Sun, 15 Feb 2004 02:53:22 GMT, "Joe"
<joe.DeleteThis@all.spammers.must.die.die.die.com> wrote:
 >
 >I have all three for Palm format.
 >
So .... you are a thief! Congratulations!

the softrat
"LotR: You've seen the epic. Now experience the Whole Story!"
mailto:softrat@pobox.com
--
A monk was traveling and came to a fork in the road. He stopped,
looked at it and decided to leave it there for someone else to
ponder, someone who may need it, for his own spoon was quite
sufficient.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: LOTR online? 

Stan Brown <the_stan_brown RemoveThis @fastmail.fm> wrote in
news:MPG.1a985e4a4f5dec5598be2f@news.odyssey.net:

 > It seems "Melisma" wrote in rec.arts.books.tolkien:
  >>The library
  >>says they are checked out and not due back for months, they
  >>are so popular.
 >
snipt
 >
 > But are paperback editions _really_ that expensive? For most
 > young adults, a full set of LotR in paperback costs less
 > than one night out partying with friends.
 >

I think I paid $30.00 for my LoTR set; decent soft-bound covers
that are better than paperback but not the really nice hard-cover
set I'd wanted, but chose to forgo as I also wanted the Sil and
Letters and UT. I got them (LoTR 3 set books) through a book
club, though, and that might make the difference in price and
quality.

--
mc<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: LOTR online? 

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004, Melisma wrote:

 >The library says they are checked out and not due back for
 >months, they are so popular.

have you tried Interlibrary Loan? IME most libraries will
allow you to request items through ILL if all their copies are
checked out. if that won't work, check to see if there are
any local bulletin boards or newsgroups (i live in the
boonies, but our local paper hosts an active community BB).
if there's such a service in your area, you could try asking
if anyone would be willing to lend/give you the books or
perhaps work out a trade.

if neither of those ideas pan out, i suggest waiting until
you've got money to get a cheap used set of the paperbacks.
if you go to <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.abebooks.com," target="_blank">www.abebooks.com,</a> you'll see that they have
copies starting at $1.00.

--
shelly<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: LOTR online? 

On Sat, 14 Feb 2004, Stan Brown wrote:

 >Where is there a library that lets a book stay out for
 >months?

academic libraries (US), for a start. it's not unusual for
faculty and staff to have year-long loan periods; honors and
graduate students often have semester-long loan periods.

--
shelly<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: LOTR online? 

[Posted and emailed.]

Quoth "Melisma" <melisma.TakeThisOut@uniserve.com> in article
<102sqi3kph8lq5d.TakeThisOut@corp.supernews.com>:
 > Does anyone know where I can find the text of the books online?

Unfortunately, as others have pointed out, the books are still
copyrighted and the Tolkien Estate hasn't given permission for an
electronic edition (which is very frustrating, but that's their right,
I'm afraid). They wouldn't distribute it for free in any case, so
that wouldn't help you (and no, a temporary copy doesn't count as
"fair use").

 > The library says they are checked out and not due back for months,
 > they are so popular.

I've dealt with that in the past, though usually only for recently
released books. Still, the movies have made these books very popular
again (I'll be a lot of people waited to finish the films before
reading the books), and I can imagine that some smaller libraries
wouldn't be ready for the rush (or have the cash to buy extra copies
for a "passing fad").

 > And I can't afford to buy them right now.

One of the best editions out there is the single-volume paperback,
which you can get for just $14 from Amazon.com (and probably
comparable prices at many bookstores). If that's out of reach for you
at the moment, well, at least it's better than $30!

 > So if I can find the text online, I might be able to finally read
 > them. (I read The Hobbit in college, but never read LOTR - and now
 > I've seen the movies, I NEED to, LOL!)

I totally sympathize! But I think your best bet may be to follow
the advice that someone else gave and go hunt down a friend who could
be talked into loaning you a copy. (I've found that baking them
cookies can often be an effective bribe. )

 > I've tried the Gutenberg Project, btw, and it's not there

Yeah - Gutenberg tends to be very careful about posting only books
that are out of copyright. It's great for finding those, though!

In any case, good luck! We all love these books, and we hope that
you'll enjoy them once you get your hands on a copy.

    Steuard Jensen<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: LOTR online? 

Steuard Jensen wrote:
 >
  > > Does anyone know where I can find the text of the books online?
 >
 > Unfortunately, as others have pointed out, the books are still
 > copyrighted

What about scans of the Ace edition published in the US:

LOTR was at that time public domain in the US.

Doug McDonald<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: LOTR online?