As some of you might know I'm quit a big fan of Tolkien Audio Books. I have an hour drive to work every day and if not listening to BBC World I tend to listen to Audio Books. It makes the drive to work a lot more fun and enjoyable! Now it seems I will be able to add some very nice Tolkien Audio Books to my collection. Here is an overview of new Tolkien Audio Books to be released this year.

The Hobbit Audio Book - July 2008:

The Hobbit radio dramatization became a classic when it was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4, and it continues to delight today. Now in July a new edition of this recordings will be released by BBC AudioBooks America and will include archival interviews with J.R.R. Tolkien. Now that is something I look forward to! I love the dramatizations and I love to hear the Tolkien interviews.

On Tolkien: Interviews, Reminiscences, and Other Essays Adio Book - August 2008:

It is, so far I know, the first time that a new book on Tolkien, and not by Tolkien, will be both released as a hardback and as a AudioBook at the same time. This is a book we have all been waiting for for what seems like ages. It will give us an extraordinary glimpse into the world of J.R.R. Tolkien through his own words and those of family, friends, and colleagues.

A collection of rare interviews and personal reminiscences found nowhere else. Beginning with a short interview with Tolkien from 1957 and continuing with remembrances and essays up through Peter Jackson's films, the book gives a developing picture of Tolkien the man and writer, first in his own voice and later from recollections of his friends and family.

Among the unique pieces are two lengthy recorded interviews that reveal Tolkien's conversation style. Also included are a discussion by Priscilla of her father's painting and drawing, and Christopher's description of the making of The Silmarillion. We hear, too, from Tolkien's colleagues and contemporaries at Oxford and in publishing, who discuss how Tolkien felt about his work's reception in the wider world. And we read previously unpublished reflections from the man who arguably knew Tolkien as well as anyone, Humphrey Carpenter, his biographer.

I wonder if this audio book will have mainly the written texts by the authors of the book Douglas A. Anderson and Marjorie J. Burns in Audio format or if it will also have the original recordings of interviews with Tolkien on it. It is fun to see that I suggested such an audio book should be made (about a year ago) and that now it might come true!

The Lord of the Rings Audio Book - September 2008:

Exciting times it must be for BBC AudioBooks America. They will release both The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings in audio format this year.

For Europeans it is good news as well, since even with shipping costs added it will still be cheaper to buy them in the US. So good news for all!

Tales from the Perilous Realm Audio Book - October 2008:

The very popular full-cast BBC Radio productions of all of J.R.R. Tolkien's novels will also be joined this fall with a new full-cast recording of Tolkien's forthcoming Tales from the Perilous Realm, which will be released in both hardback, deluxe edition and audio book.

Tolkien's four novellas—Farmer Giles of Ham, Leaf by Niggle, Smith of Wootton Major, and Roverandom—and one book of poems—The Adventures of Tom Bombadil—get together in this edition. It will be the definitive collection of J.R.R.Tolkien's four acclaimed modern classic fairy tales, finally together in a volume which reaffirms his place as a master storyteller for readers young and old.

The fat and un-heroic Farmer Giles of Ham is called upon to do battle with the dragon Chrysophylax; Niggle the painter sets out to paint the perfect tree in Leaf by Niggle; hobbits, princesses, dwarves and trolls partake in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil; and Smith of Wootton Major journeys to the Land of Faery via the magical ingredients of a giant cake.

While my children always tend to fall asleep before the end of the tales, I cannot stop reading them until they are finished. Tolkien's tales always have this effect on me...

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