I have sent an e-mail to Merlin Unwin Books regarding the book and asked if they could perhaps consider to re-publish the book for the greater public (perhaps as a print-on-demand?) because there seems to be quite a lot of interest in it, especially from Tolkien 'fans' because of the two chapters on the relationship between Rayner and the professor, but that a copy of the book is hard to come by and often (extremely) expensive when one finds a copy.
I received this answer:



Let's hope for the best!

I recently bought a British Library publication "The British Book Trade: An Oral History"

http://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Book- ... tle_0/279-8882627-8322664

"The British book trade underwent radical change at the end of the twentieth century. The old family firms were being replaced by conglomerates and the ending of the Net Book Agreement gave shops new freedom to compete by cutting prices. "The British Book Trade: An Oral History" is more than a book about books - it describes the world in which books happened, and how that world has changed. This volume provides access to a culture often perceived as glamorous, incestuous and hard to enter, through the words of insiders across the board, from sales representatives and shop assistants, to secretaries, editors and executives. Their experiences range from the 1920s to the present day and include recollections of the British trade at home and overseas as far as Australia, South East Asia and India. The accounts are drawn from the Book Trade Lives collection of in-depth oral history interviews recorded by National Life Stories and accessible through the British Library Sound Archive. To anyone with an interest in the book trade or oral history, they have challenging, entertaining and illuminating things to say."

The book was largely funded by the Unwin Trust and one of the key individuals who pushed for the records to be made was Rayner Unwin.

So I thought, let's see Rayner's view on publishing. There is nothing in the book from Rayner, though part of an account from Rayner's wife is included on Tolkien.

Rayner stated that he did not need to contribute to this book because everything is in his book "George Allen & Unwin: A Remembrancer", which is a shame as it is so difficult to get hold of a copy of the book.

Well, from everyone who does not have a copy of this book, thanks for that Trotter!

BH

Seconded - I really hope they do another printing; I will certainly be in the queue to purchase one if they do.

Some quotes on Tolkien from "The British Book Trade: An Oral History" page 195-197 (these are the only mentions in the whole book)

Carol Unwin (wife of Rayner Unwin)

Did you like him (Tolkien)?

Yes, I liked him very much. It was extremely comfortable being in his company. He was very friendly, and incredibly appreciative ....

....Sir Stanley used to make sure that Rayner dealt with Tolkien, because Rayner had an awful lot of patience, which his father hadn't. I can still hear Sir Stanley shaking his head and saying, 'Are we never going to get this manuscript together? We really have to get on this before this Christmas comes around?....

Ronald Whiting (Sales Manager at GA&U)

The Fellowship of the Ring was not the easiest book to get into the bookshops. It was greeted by Tommy Joy, then at the Army & Navy Stores and later famous as the Queen's bookseller at Hatchards, saying, 'I do not sell books on fairies.' That was a fairly common reaction.