Unpublished archive of letters going up for sale

[Tar-Elenion]

‘Reduced to nonsense’: JRR Tolkien’s irritation with typist revealed in archive
Exclusive: Important collection of author’s letters and manuscripts, being sold in April, reveals his loathing of sloppiness and love of language

‘Reduced to nonsense’: JRR Tolkien’s irritation with typist revealed in archive

Exclusive: Important collection of author’s letters and manuscripts, being sold in April, reveals his loathing of sloppiness and love of language

www.theguardian.com

"It is part of an archive that includes the last major Tolkien manuscript in private hands, The Road Goes Ever On, his collaboration with the composer Donald Swann of the musical comedy duo Flanders and Swann."

"Jonkers acquired this last archive from the family of Swann, who died in 1984. Its £550,000 price reflects its rarity."


“She reduced [my manuscript] to nonsense. I have some sympathy with the typist faced with such unfamiliar matter; though evidently she wasn’t paying much attention.”
"He mocked her confusion of “poche for poetic, highballs(!) for high halls, and arias for cries”."


“I have not laughed so much … since I last saw an archbishop of Canterbury slip on a banana-skin.”

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

We can only hope some of this will see publication, and not just get squirreled away in some dragon's hoard.

Now where's that half million I left lying around here? 🤔

 

[Tar-Elenion]

<digs into pocket>
Got a few pennies. And a dime...

 

[Deimos]

We can only hope some of this will see publication, and not just get squirreled away in some dragon's hoard.

Now where's that half million I left lying around here? 🤔

Ditto on the hope of those letters/notes/scribblings seeing the light of day for the rest us.
And when you find that half million, the half million lying next to it is the one I misplaced....

 

[Elthir]

Thanks for the info Tar-E!

But now I kind of regret my last three purchases!

The scarf: an "impulse buy" in a secret shop beneath Vatican City.

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

It was the sunglasses, wasn't it? Costs a fortune to look cool.

 

[Elthir]

It was the sunglasses, wasn't it?

They were a bit pricey! I was told (by a merchant in Aachen) that some emperor named "Charlemagne" used to wear these (this specific pair) on especially sunny occasions.

I'm still not sure if that's true, but they look cool.

🐾

 

[Deimos]

Thanks for the info Tar-E!

But now I kind of regret my last three purchases!

The scarf: an "impulse buy" in a secret shop beneath Vatican City.

I'll bet you don't show off your Rolex because it keeps slipping off your paw 😉

 

[Elthir]

"Jonkers acquired this last archive from the family of Swann, who died in 1994. Its £550,000 price reflects its rarity."

Hmm. Is that the price Jonkers paid, or the price to buy the collection now?

"The archive features 21 letters, as well as songs and poems and 13 pages of notes."

I'm guessing this "13 pages of notes" is the manuscript for the end section of RGEO. If so, I think it should go (for free) to the person who's quoted or mentioned this book the most on the web, over, let's say, the past twenty years.

But that's just my opinion. Oh, and LOL!

'cause I think this person could be me, due to Galadriel chat!

 

[Elthir]

Sorry to double post, but I just had an idea: a new edition of The Road Goes On with all the new
"Swann material" added!

Well, it's not everything from this collection; but it's also not nothing! With new illustrations too! Maybe.

note: this idea already copyrighted. . . or however you say it!

 

[Squint-eyed Southerner]

An idea I fully endorse!