The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien Revision - being Revised

[Ent]

In March 2025 The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Revised and Expanded Edition will be released in a paperback version.
Some small revisions/corrections to it will be incorporated in the printing.
This I have received, from one of the folks involved in assisting with the project.

It is said the changes will be mostly meaningful to those interested in the minutiae of accuracy, correcting some things found subsequent to the Revised and Expanded's publication - but others not so interested will not be lacking in anything.

That's all I know at this point... thought I'd mention it so those interested can drool for a few months.

 

[Deimos]

I finally ordered the hardbound copy... found a HarperCollins edition, brand new, listed on Abe Books. ...$28....about $36 with tax and shipping.

 

[Ent]

I do plan to order the paperback when it comes out.
Mine is currentlly digital of course - quicker research for me. But I must confess, though I detest destruction of trees, I love the feel of a nice paperbach draped across my twigs, when I just want some 'comfort reading'..! Digital just doesn't have the same feel.
And I want to inhale Tolkien's letters in depth over time. They inform us greatly about the man.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

I can't find information on the paperback. Where did you see this?

 

[Ent]

It has been presented to us through the 'back door' by the fellow I'm connected with working on the Letters project.
He's a member on the Paul Godfrey discord.
I do not know when any ;public' information is scheduled to come out about it, but as he shared it on that Discord for the Tolkien interested folk, I've assumed it was OK to share with this Tolkien interested group.

Something should be coming on it soon. They're anticipating their "advance copies" to come to them shortly, so they can preview it to see more of how it's laid out, and the changes made handled within the book.

I've made a couple suggestions regarding it he's going to take to them to see what they think about providing the suggestions within ior external to the work.

 

[Ent]

The release date is 13th March 2025 as currently set.
The source fellow works on the Guide to Tolkien's Letters here:

Guide to Tolkien's Letters

Guide to Tolkien's Letters

www.tolkienguide.com

A team of 4 people working to uncover, transcribe and make available information on all locatable Tolkien lettters, including those not 'published' (of which there are many.)

They have many projects underway.

His statement about the Paperback is "it could be called more a corrected text, than a revised version."

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

Thanks. I'll be interested in how extensive the changes might be, as I don't yet have the hardback.

 

[Ent]

As an example of TCG's work, the Revised and Expanded Tolkien's Letters seems to end at letter number 354.
Of course, several have the new additions, so an "a" and maybe a "b" so there are more than 354.

I just read the brief of letter number 929 on the TCG site... and I'm sure it's not the last one..!

Difficult it must be, to choose what to include in a published version, and what not to, with such a wealth at hand.

 

[Deimos]

So is this going to be a paperback version of the current hardback edition, or is the PB version actually a new edition that has incorporated corrections to the current HB edition?

Never mind... I re-read your initial post...there will be some "minor" corrections.

"Why is there never enough time to do something right [the first time], but there is always enough time to do it over."

 

[Ent]

"Why is there never enough time to do something right [the first time], but there is always enough time to do it over."

One example:
The original version of the book contained the contents of a letter as it was transcribed by "person A".
Now there's a team of dedictated people devoted to locating, and transcribing, All Tolken's work possible.
As they have transcribed the letter the original Letters version used to print its text, they discovered an error in the transcribing by "person A".
So the reprinting is giving the opportunity now, to correct the text. (Both the original version, and the "Revised and Expanded" version, only had "person A's" earlier transcription at hand.)

Tolkien's penmanship was somewhat abominable - just as was his diction - particularly in his later years. For all his knowledge about words, his writing and speaking of them left much to be desired. Witness the snippets of interviews recently posted - stuff done back in 1968 as I recall. He had the capacity to leave out entire syllables as he talked. Rare is the breed who talks with as little precision as did he - unless he was consciously working at it, as he did with some of his recordings of his written works. He was much more cautious at those times.

 

[Ent]

Sorry @Deimos, @Squint-eyed Southerner, and everybody else.

The "correction" part of this paperback release in March 2025 must be withdrawn.
The group involved has been told corrections won't be incorporated. They'll be considered for a future release.

So the paperback will match the Hardback Revised and Expanded.

(Probably withheld to incorporate in all 3 versions at the same time, but this is purely my speculation only. To me, it sort of makes sense to keep the 3 versions all in synch, if possible).

I still look forward to a paperback version "to have and to hold" so Maarch is targeted for an investment nonetheless..!

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

But the "unrevised revised" paperback will
be published in March 2025?

 

[Ent]

Yes.

 

[Ent]

I must confess as I consider HarperCollins' marketing strategy on releasing the Revised and Expanded Version the way they have, I'm a bit amused.

In some respects, I'm surprised they even released a Digital Version when they released the Hardback. But not really... the medium is less costly, has a large demand market, and is more likely to be 'duplicate purchased' than a hardback and a paperback at the same time, I would guess. (These days, many digital books are marketed at a higher price than paperback,s too.)

Nonetheless, they've been quite clever. And delaying corrections is a more clever move than incorporating them with the first paperback edition, too. Especially with the long range view in mind.

Always "follow the money."

 

[humanracer]

hmm I think it would have left a sour taste in the mouth if a paperback released 6 months after a hardback contained a corrected text.

Anyway the revised edition is really good. It's nice to read letter 131 in a complete version. It's also kind of tragic how every fourth letter or so is about his desire to get the Silmarillion published. He was still saying as much in a letter written a month before his death.

 

[Backyard Professor]

I received my copy of the Revised and enlarged edition of the Letters for one of my Christmas presents. I am, needless to say, thrilled outta my gourd!