THE J. R. R. TOLKIEN COMPANION AND GUIDE: Boxed Set - part II (17.09.06)

As written in the previous article, we will finally see the publication of The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide, written by Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond. Normally the book is announced for 2 oktober 2006. Here is some more news about the book (information comes from a message by Wayne G. Hammond):

Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond were set back a few more weeks in completing the "Companion and Guide", because of some very unfortunate healthproblems (We wish Christina a good recovery). The book was send to HarperCollins U.K. as a set of PDFs on 20 August, so they may still be able to publish by October as announced, though probably more towards the end of that month rather than the beginning. Houghton Mifflin plan to publish in the U.S. in November. Amazon has listed the two volumes with various page counts, which frankly amounted to guesses by the publishers: in the end, volume I (Chronology) ran to about 1,000 pages, and volume II (Reader's Guide) to 1,280. The foreword, list of works consulted, and index are common to both. These will be available both separately and (at less cost) as a boxed set.

We also have some news about the content of the book, since also here Wayne G. Hammond talked about: "We examined Tolkien's undergraduate life in the Exeter College archives as well as in other papers, and have have much about this in our Chronology, while an account of the societies Tolkien belonged to will appear in the Reader's Guide. Of course we have an entry for the TCBS also, and entries for its various members, and in the Chronology trace Tolkien's activities in the First World War, from original research in the Bodleian Tolkien papers and the National Archives (ex-Public Record Office). Tolkien's work, with George S. Gordon, on the "Clarendon Chaucer" is particularly fascinating, because previously unknown: we discuss this at length, from letters in the Oxford University Press archives and other sources."

Tolkien had some opinions about about the accents of characters in "The Lord of the Rings", which he expressed in correspondence with the BBC when they were producing the first radio treatment of "The Lord of the Rings" in the 1950s. Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond read the relevant letters at the BBC Written Archives Centre, and cite and quote them in a long article on adaptations of Tolkien's works. There will also be a lot on King Edward's School, from materials supplied by the School archivist and from the "King Edward's School Chronicle", including details of the curriculum, prizes Tolkien won, and his movements from class to class.

> more info on this book - read the previous article

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