New Tolkien Book preview on Amazon.co.uk!
Amazon has just added a second Tolkien book to be released this year (assuming their sources are correct!)
# Paperback: 104 pages
# Publisher: Darton,Longman & Todd Ltd (20 Jul 2009)
# ISBN-10: 0232527679
# ISBN-13: 978-0232527674
May 19, 2009 @ 5:15 am
From “J.R.R. Tolkien - A Descriptive Bibliography” by Wayne G. Hammond and Douglas A. Anderson
“The Jerusalem Bible (London: Darton, Longman & Todd; Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1966). Tolkien served as an editor of this version in a capacity nowhere definitively described. According to Tolkien himself, in a letter to Charlotte and Denis Plimmer of 8 February 1967, he was originally to have translated a large amount of text, but under pressure from other work, completed only Jonah (’one of the shortest books’), and otherwise ‘was consulted on one or two points of style, and criticized some contributions of others’. According to Anthony Kenny, A Path from Rome: An Autobiography’ (London: Sidgewick & Jackson, 1895), Tolkien was asked to translate Judges and Jonah, but in the end contributed only a revision of the latter. According to Carpenters Biography, Tolkien’s only contribution was the original draft of a translation of Jonah, which was extensively revised by others before publication. But it was reported in the Tolkien Society bulletin, Amon Hen, no. 26 (May 1977), that according to Darton, Longman, & Todd Tolkien also worked on the Book of Job, providing its initial draft and playing an important part in establishing its final text.”
I wonder if this version is the original translation or the “translation extensively revised by others”?
May 19, 2009 @ 7:27 am
I have mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, as Trotter noted, there’s a good chance this book reflects work that isn’t Tolkien’s. I find it doubtful that it would be his original drafts and workings out of the translation from French. Much more likely, it’s simply reprinted (with permission) from the Jerusalem Bible. But on the other hand, for the sake of completeness, it’s kind off nice to have the option to purchase just this book, rather than an entire Jerusalem Bible. And I like the cover!
May 19, 2009 @ 11:32 am
I am guessing this is a reprint of the 1966 “book” only (no new materials) but I have a question in to the publisher for more information. Note that the publisher is the same for this book as the 1966 edition of The Jerusalem Bible, so they presumably still have the copyright to all of the material - not sure if they have permission (or need it) from the Estate for the use of Tolkien’s name, though (HC was unaware of this book until I asked).