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Post by syme on Mar 26, 2007 9:30:23 GMT -5
So, d'you guys hear Tolkien's releasing a new book? What? He's dead? Since when was that a problem?
Seriously, though, The Children of Hurin, edited by Christopher Tolkien and apparently put together from his father's manuscripts is being released very soon. It worries me that he might have stretched his father's work beyond what the dear Professor might have wanted, but he did do a fine job with the Silmarillion. I just hope it's not something that he did only because of the goldmine that appeared after the movies made Tolkien "cool" again. I guess what I'm wondering is: would Tolkien have wanted this work published? I don't know, but I probably won't be able to resist reading it.
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Post by katycarl on Mar 26, 2007 15:56:49 GMT -5
I've heard of this (big cardboard cutouts at the bookstore, among other things), but don't know much about it. What's it sourced from? What's the story?
In the past, Christopher Tolkien has done a fairly fine job piecing together and editing his dad's texts, as well as providing notes about what seems to have been incomplete or in progress. In the "Lost Tales" appendices, there's some really fascinating stuff, including story links that talk about a fictional "discovery" of Numenor by a linguistics professor and his intellectually curious son. (!) There, my friends, is a man captivated with the pursuit of the inner texture of reality.
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Rieping
Regular Member
The beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair.
Posts: 59
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Post by Rieping on Jun 9, 2007 18:54:26 GMT -5
I wrote a book review of the "The Children of Hurin" for the daily newspaper, The Madera Tribune. The review "Tolkien's tragedy emerges as unusual triumph" can be read here.... www.maderatribune.com/life/lifeview.asp?c=216244Since I wrote the book review as an employee of the newspaper and on company time, the book review does not belong to me and I can't re-post it here without written permission, which I don't have. :)
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Post by katycarl on Jun 9, 2007 23:39:26 GMT -5
Nice work! I'm looking forward to reading the book, for sure. My husband and I could only find it in hardcover, though, and we've been on a paperback budget. I liked hearing in your bio that you also fell in love with Middle-earth while hearing the books read aloud. That's my experience of them, too.
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pauls
Junior Member
Posts: 23
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Post by pauls on Sept 5, 2007 19:01:34 GMT -5
I felt very much the same after reading the book. I was held in awe of the gravitas of the details, the smaller stories in the overarching story, and the doom of the finale. It has a resonance that cannot be mentally pinned. I am always amazed at the subtlety of Tolkien's stories. Even his "smaller" works such as "Leaf by Niggle", "Smith of Wooton Major" and "Farmer Giles of Ham"...what is it about these?
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Post by pierregambotsky on Sept 6, 2007 21:48:53 GMT -5
Hmmm, as much as a Tolkien fan as I am, I actually haven't gotten around to "Leaf by Niggle" et al. I did love the Children of Hurin, though, even if I already knew the ending from reading the Silmarillion. Actually, that made it kind of painful to read, because as I saw the action unfolding I knew where it would inevitably lead and that there was nothing I could do to stop it. And yet (does this happen to anyone else?) there was still this little part of me that kept hoping he would cast aside his pride and return to Menegroth.
Did you guys read the appendices? I was very intrigued by Christopher Tolkien's mention of the very long versions of this story and the Lay of Leithian in verse. It seems like Tolkien left some pretty HUGE unfinished poems. Is there anywhere one can get a hold of them? I would especially love to read whatever he got done of the Lay of Leithian.
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Post by katycarl on Sept 10, 2007 13:06:07 GMT -5
Oh, you totally can't bypass "Leaf by Niggle." Take and read, my friend.
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