Tolkien Collector’s Guide has spotted something very interesting — a new and revised edition of Humphry Carpenter’s The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien is coming out this November (Nov 9 to be precise).
This revised edition is already available for pre-order on Amazon (30 quid for a hardcover book; 20 quid for a kindle version). Looks like it’s going to be a beast of a book, too: 700 pages versus the 463 of the 1981 edition.
In this revised and expanded edition of The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, it has been possible to go back to the editors’ original typescripts and notes, restoring more than 150 letters that were excised purely to achieve what was then deemed a ‘publishable length’, and present the book as originally intended.
Enthusiasts for his writings will find much that is new, for the letters not only include fresh information about Middle-earth, such as Tolkien’s own plot summary of the entirety of The Lord of the Rings and a vision for publishing his ‘Tales of the Three Ages’, but also many insights into the man and his world. In addition, this new selection will entertain anyone who appreciates the art of letter-writing, of which J.R.R. Tolkien was a master.
Thanks to TimB and DurinDeathless on our Discord for the heads-up.
Two handwritten letters, from J.R.R. Tolkien to the British Council, have been uncovered by a volunteer at the National Archives in Kew.
In a recently published blog, we are told: ‘The correspondence centres on Tolkien’s research collaboration with Simonne d’Ardenne, a former student of his at Oxford, who shared his academic interest in historical languages.’
It’s always exciting to uncover new items related to the Professor – and especially to see that familiar and unique handwriting. The letters will remain at the National Archives, added to the previously catalogued Tolkien correspondence in their collection. You can read more about this unearthed treasure here.
It’s long been known that the recordings of the 1950s BBC radio drama adaptation of The Lord of the Rings are (barring some unforeseen miracle) forever lost to time. But, lately there’s been a renewed interest in searching the BBC archives to see what actually remains.
This effort has primarily been lead by Oxford academic Stuart Lee.
The Guardian now reports that Lee has been able to uncover the original scripts for the 12-episode radio show that was broadcast in 1955 and 1956. It was the first adaptation of the Lord of the Rings in any medium, and (aside from Swedish musician Bo Hansson’s Sagan om ringen) the only one published during Tolkien’s lifetime.
Lee’s research revealed that Tolkien rewrote material for the BBC drama, working with producer Terence Tiller to adjust narration and dialogue for the production.
One script page shows Tolkien’s redraft of the Weathertop scene:
Frodo: What has happened? Where is the pale King?
Sam: We lost you, Mr Frodo. Where did you get to?
Frodo: Didn’t you see them?– the wraiths, and the King?
Aragorn: No, only their shadows…
Tolkien gave a description of the wraiths to the narrator, who linked the scenes: “At once the shapes became terribly clear. He could see under their black mantles. In their white faces burned merciless eyes…”
Lee said: “Without the freedom allowed to him in the novel, he considered the best way to convey a description of the wraiths, first rather clumsily getting Frodo Baggins to say ‘I… I put the ring on. Then the shapes became terribly clear, and I could see under their black cloaks. Their faces were white with cruel bright eyes…’ But he rejected this, favouring instead the use of the narrator.”
Tolkien’s handwritten suggestions in red for amendments to the BBC’s 1950s radio dramatisation. Photograph: BBC Written Archives Centre / The Tolkien Estate Limited.
Excerpts from Tolkien’s own correspondence — first published in 1981 by Humphrey Carpenter — reveal both frustrations with the result, and empathy with the task set before the production crew. In Letter #175 he states: “I think the book quite unsuitable for ‘dramatization’, and have not enjoyed the broadcasts—though they have improved”. In another letter (#194), he tells Tiller in his commentary on the first three episodes aired in 1956 that “here is a book very unsuitable for dramatic or semi-dramatic representation. If that is attempted, it needs more space, a lot of space.” He concludes by acknowledging that he felt Tiller “had a very hard task”.
A single sound excerpt from the 1955 radio series — the opening music — also survives in the BBC archives. It lasts about 25 seconds and can be heard starting about 4 minutes into a BBC Sounds production (which Lee was also involved in) called Tolkien: The Lost Recordings.
Lee’s research is set to appear as an essay (titled “A milestone in BBC history? The 1955–56 radio dramatization of The Lord of the Rings”) in The Great Tales Never End: Essays in Memory of Christopher Tolkien. The compendium of essays will be published by Bodleian Library Publishing in June 2022.
In our latest Library feature, Tedoras takes up the vexed issue of Tolkien and allegory.
Majesty and simplicity: on Tolkien and allegory
by Tedoras
Tolkien’s disdain, and avowed desuetude, of allegory is widely known by most familiar with his writings. Snippets from essays, letters, and remarks all show the Professor rejecting the notion that allegory is employed in his mythology; instead, Tolkien directs readers to the difference between allegory and applicability. Continue reading “Majesty and simplicity: on Tolkien and allegory”
If you have a Tolkien/Middle-earth inspired poem you’d like to share, then send it to poetry@theonering.net. One poem per person may be submitted each month. Please make sure to proofread your work before sending it in. TheOneRing.net is not responsible for poems posting with spelling or grammatical errors.
Another September 22 — the birthdays of Bilbo and Frodo — has just passed. In our latest Library piece, TORn feature writer Tedoras reflects on Letter #214 from The Letters of J.R.R Tolkien and examines Tolkien’s thoughts on birthday customs in hobbit society and culture.
If you have a Tolkien/Middle-earth inspired poem you’d like to share, then send it to poetry@theonering.net. One poem per person may be submitted each month. Please make sure to proofread your work before sending it in. TheOneRing.net is not responsible for poems posting with spelling or grammatical errors.
In our latest Library feature, Tedoras takes up the vexed issue of Tolkien and allegory. 
Another September 22 — the birthdays of Bilbo and Frodo — has just passed. In our latest Library piece, TORn feature writer Tedoras reflects on Letter #214 from The Letters of J.R.R Tolkien and examines Tolkien’s thoughts on birthday customs in hobbit society and culture.