Kazakh Translation, LOTR & Hobbit
13 Sep, 2025
2025-9-13 2:18:52 PM UTC
2025-9-13 2:18:52 PM UTC
I recently discovered that there was a Kazakh translation of LOTR & Hobbit published a couple of years ago. I suppose that I never heard of it sooner because it is only sold in Kazakhstan. I heard of it by seeing a Facebook post from a traveler in Almaty at a bookstore looking for Tolkien things specifically. I've got a couple of feelers out to contacts in Azerbaijan, but they don't seem to have regular contact across the Caspian. I found a copy of ROTK on ebay, but I'm wondering if any of you have contacts in Kazakhstan who might be able to help me get a full set. They've got unique covers that are quite stunning. The publisher is Foliant. (I'm on the road today and the hotel's network blocks any links to Central Asia, so I'll post a link to show the covers tomorrow.)
Here are the covers.
I found these in Russia a couple of years ago. Don't currently know how to purchase any copies. But will let you know if i find any way to purchase or see a set for sale.
I found these in Russia a couple of years ago. Don't currently know how to purchase any copies. But will let you know if i find any way to purchase or see a set for sale.
After writing to the publisher, every brick-and-mortar bookseller in Kazakhstan with a website, the sellers I've worked with in Azerbaijan, and even Ferdosi.com in Sweden (who seems to have contacts throughout the Middle East), I finally found one single on-line bookseller in Astana, Kazakhstan who sold the Kazakh translation and would ship them to the US--logobook.kz. The proprietor, Aruzhan Abdibay, and I had to work out the usual international issues of bank transfer (Western Union doesn't do bank transfers to Kazakhstan) and shipping issues (the current *** regime in the White House has "inspired" about half of the national postal services to stop sending packages to the US). But today the books (also including the Hobbit translation) arrived (via DHL) and they are a real treasure. My collection once again has at least one edition from every language with a translation.
(If you're interested in getting a set, the ISBNs for Aruzhan to use are 978-601-271-785-3, 978-601-271-957-4, 978-601-338-853-3, and [for the Hobbit] 978-601-271-772-3. The price for all four was right about $50, but the shipping to the US was a few multiples of that. Shipping to anywhere else in the world will be a LOT cheaper.)
(If you're interested in getting a set, the ISBNs for Aruzhan to use are 978-601-271-785-3, 978-601-271-957-4, 978-601-338-853-3, and [for the Hobbit] 978-601-271-772-3. The price for all four was right about $50, but the shipping to the US was a few multiples of that. Shipping to anywhere else in the world will be a LOT cheaper.)
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