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Ulmo wrote:
I wonder what was so offensive in Priscilla Tolkien’s introduction.
I'd like to read it, but I wonder if the author of the book was downplayed relative to Tolkien's contribution and influence (purely speculation). That would be fairly offensive, potentially.
Probably true but, to be fair, the Tolkien connection is the selling point of this translation. Too bad for them that Stella Mills’ cousin’s heirs have apparently burned that bridge.
Ulmo wrote:
Probably true but, to be fair, the Tolkien connection is the selling point of this translation. Too bad for them that Stella Mills’ cousin’s heirs have apparently burned that bridge.
I can't imagine it would have been much of a money spinner! And assuming that no permission was asked to do the reprint, that is a bit of an oversight (and one that the Tolkien Estate certainly would not have tolerated if it were their material)
I bought a copy of the Nodens Books reprint while it was still available.
To answer some of the questions:
1) Downplaying Mills?
Aside from some reminiscences about Stella M. Mills' personality, Priscilla Tolkien's Foreword deals almost exclusively with the friendship between Stella Mills and the Tolkien family. As such, the Foreword doesn't include any discussion about Mills' edition of The Saga of Hrolf Kraki.
2) Is there anything offensive?
There are one or two paragraphs in the Foreword that (at least from my reading) are quite obviously the source behind the reaction of the family of Stella Mills. These paragraphs concern some personal matters in the Mills family.
To answer some of the questions:
1) Downplaying Mills?
Aside from some reminiscences about Stella M. Mills' personality, Priscilla Tolkien's Foreword deals almost exclusively with the friendship between Stella Mills and the Tolkien family. As such, the Foreword doesn't include any discussion about Mills' edition of The Saga of Hrolf Kraki.
2) Is there anything offensive?
There are one or two paragraphs in the Foreword that (at least from my reading) are quite obviously the source behind the reaction of the family of Stella Mills. These paragraphs concern some personal matters in the Mills family.
You betcha. At that price ($29.00), I even ran it past the wife first!
Enjoying the read, too.
I once had a conversation with a Scandinavian fellow (I can’t remember any more details about him), and when it turned to The Hobbit and Beorn, he nodded happily and told me he had grown up on tales of Beorn. That always stuck with me. I knew Beorn had literary antecedents, but the way he put it, the concept that there were more tales of Beorn out there somewhere, really ultimately got me very excited about this book.
Enjoying the read, too.
I once had a conversation with a Scandinavian fellow (I can’t remember any more details about him), and when it turned to The Hobbit and Beorn, he nodded happily and told me he had grown up on tales of Beorn. That always stuck with me. I knew Beorn had literary antecedents, but the way he put it, the concept that there were more tales of Beorn out there somewhere, really ultimately got me very excited about this book.
I wonder what the story is behind the copyright dispute. It doesn't seem likely it would be something Doug would have overlooked before publishing. My guess would be that he got permission but upon publication, the estate (who acquired/given a copy), read the foreward, and "withdrew" their support (for its existence generally).
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