New Tolkien book out next spring

[Gordis]

What I meant is that LOTR did not become very popular immediately - it took about 10 years. Well not 20, OK.
Here is what I am basing on:
http://www.fantasticmetropolis.com/i/tolkien/1/
I have little personal recollection of 50-ies or 60-ies

[Jon S.]

I dig Christopher completing his dad's books almost as much as I dig Dweezil Zappa playing his dad's music (which is to say "quite a bit"). :dude:

[Finrod Felagund]

this should be moved to Middle Earth

[me9996]

A few authors did that for Dr. Seuss, I do wonder how many people will wonder if tolken is still alive because of this (A person is smart, people are numskulls).

Anyway I don't think I'll read it, nothing against anyone but unless I spot it in a library I don't think I'll read it.

[Landroval]

Originally Posted by Gordis

What I meant is that LOTR did not become very popular immediately - it took about 10 years. Well not 20, OK.
Here is what I am basing on:
http://www.fantasticmetropolis.com/i/tolkien/1/
I have little personal recollection of 50-ies or 60-ies

Other websites, such as wikipedia, attest to LotR achieving cult status in the 60's. According to the letters, as far back as 1957, Tolkien received two propositions to make animated versions of LotR, and in 1958, there was Mr. Zimmerman's company trying to get him to do a movie.

[Nurvingiel]

Hm, perhaps when I'm done reading my current collection. (Still haven't read Unfinished Tales!) *ducks*

[Rían]

If he's going to tag on his own material from the point where his father left off, I don't think I"d like it ...

Is it going to be anything new from what we already have in our preciousssss little HoMe books? If it's more material from JRRT himself, I'd buy it, but if it's just Christopher's writing, then .... mergh .... ehh ....

[brownjenkins]

Originally Posted by Gwaimir Windgem

Because he is the living authority on the man's works.

Why? Simply because he is his son?

In some ways I think someone being a close relative might be a negative thing when interpreting another's work. There will be biases that might not exist with a more objective observer. You see this throughout HoME. Attempts to justify inconsistancies by JRR when, in fact, they were just that: inconsistancies JRR never really completely hashed out.

The only "authority" on a man's work is the person who wrote it. Anyone else has no authority and their conclusions are only as good as how widely the final product is accepted.

[BeardofPants]

Chris does have a bit more of an advantage though in the sense that he worked with his father (ME maps 'n ****) when he was still alive.

[Rosie Gamgee]

Originally Posted by brownjenkins

Why? Simply because he is his son?

In some ways I think someone being a close relative might be a negative thing when interpreting another's work. There will be biases that might not exist with a more objective observer. You see this throughout HoME. Attempts to justify inconsistancies by JRR when, in fact, they were just that: inconsistancies JRR never really completely hashed out.

The only "authority" on a man's work is the person who wrote it. Anyone else has no authority and their conclusions are only as good as how widely the final product is accepted.

Exactly!

However, for the record I will state that Christophers contributions to his father's published works are much appreciated. I do really like the fact that he got the Sil published, the Letters, etc. He's a great guy, and yes, possibly the only living person who can lay claim to being a bonafide authority on JRRT's stuff.

BUT; he's still not Tolkien, and I don't know about you, but I have no relatives that I would like to 'complete' a book that I myself decided to scrap after I'm dead. Maybe publish the snippets, but not finish on me. ...But that's just me.

[brownjenkins]

I think Christopher did some great work as well, I just wouldn't use the "authority" word.

Of course, since his name is Christopher Tolkien, I guess it is a new "Tolkien" book.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally Posted by brownjenkins

Why? Simply because he is his son?

In some ways I think someone being a close relative might be a negative thing when interpreting another's work. There will be biases that might not exist with a more objective observer. You see this throughout HoME. Attempts to justify inconsistancies by JRR when, in fact, they were just that: inconsistancies JRR never really completely hashed out.

The only "authority" on a man's work is the person who wrote it. Anyone else has no authority and their conclusions are only as good as how widely the final product is accepted.

Because he knew him. He knew how his mind worked. He has studied and pored over his manuscripts, compared the different variations and mutations of what he wrote. From my reading of the letters, it appears that he was also the closest of the Tolkien children to his father. I find that what biases there might be (minimal) would be far outweighed by his closeness to his father, and his understanding of him.

Unless, of course, you just want to contract Stephen King for the job.

The author is the best authority, but different persons are authorities on varying levels. Nolendil I consider an authority, Michael Martinez I consider an authority, and yes, fool that I am, I consider Christopher Tolkien an authority, as well.

Originally Posted by Rosie

However, for the record I will state that Christophers contributions to his father's published works are much appreciated. I do really like the fact that he got the Sil published, the Letters, etc. He's a great guy, and yes, possibly the only living person who can lay claim to being a bonafide authority on JRRT's stuff.

And therefore, he has much more justification in what he does than Jackson. Also, I assume he will not be changing it, merely filling in the gaps.

BUT; he's still not Tolkien,

Yes he is!

and I don't know about you, but I have no relatives that I would like to 'complete' a book that I myself decided to scrap after I'm dead. Maybe publish the snippets, but not finish on me. ...But that's just me.

But being that he is his father's son, and that he is, as you admit, "possibly the only living person who can lay claim to being a bonafide authority on JRRT's stuff", don't you see that there is much more validity to his completion of an unfinished work of his father's, than there is in Peter Jackson's restructuring thereof?

[Rosie Gamgee]

Originally Posted by Gwaimir Windgem

But being that he is his father's son, and that he is, as you admit, "possibly the only living person who can lay claim to being a bonafide authority on JRRT's stuff", don't you see that there is much more validity to his completion of an unfinished work of his father's, than there is in Peter Jackson's restructuring thereof?

Yes, I can see where he would be more qualified. I can see where he would be the person to trust to get the work out as true to JRRT as possible. But the article seemed to indicate that Christopher has had to fabricate and fill in some spots that JRRT's fragments haven't explained. I'm not sure this sits right with me.
Again I will say, if I had a work that I had begun in life, then abandoned, deciding to move on to other things, I'm not really sure I would want anyone, after I was dead, to complete it for me. Even if I told them where I was going with the story, or what the general idea was, I don't feel that I could trust them to finish my stuff and release it under my name.
But I'm protective of my writings/other works. So maybe JRRT would feel differently. At any rate, I'm not trying to sit here and flame Christopher. I might even read the thing, when it comes out.

[hectorberlioz]

There's a similar debate with Mahler's uncompleted 10th Symphony. What there was finished was performed, but some scholars took it upon themselves to finish the work...most famously Deryck Cooke. A lot of Mahler champions, including Bruno Walter and Otto Klemperer, who had worked with Mahler; were against the idea.

There are about three or four "versions" circulating around, and none of them of course, sound anything like what Mahler would have done....

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally Posted by Rosie Gamgee

Yes, I can see where he would be more qualified. I can see where he would be the person to trust to get the work out as true to JRRT as possible. But the article seemed to indicate that Christopher has had to fabricate and fill in some spots that JRRT's fragments haven't explained. I'm not sure this sits right with me.
Again I will say, if I had a work that I had begun in life, then abandoned, deciding to move on to other things, I'm not really sure I would want anyone, after I was dead, to complete it for me. Even if I told them where I was going with the story, or what the general idea was, I don't feel that I could trust them to finish my stuff and release it under my name.
But I'm protective of my writings/other works. So maybe JRRT would feel differently. At any rate, I'm not trying to sit here and flame Christopher. I might even read the thing, when it comes out.

Maybe I'm missing it, but I don't see where the article says Tolkien 'abandoned' Narn i Hin Hurin.

[hectorberlioz]

I have to say, Gwai has pretty much spelled it out...

Christopher is most definitely Tolkien...

[Rosie Gamgee]

LOL. Yes, he is Tolkien.

Originally Posted by Gwaimir Windgem

Maybe I'm missing it, but I don't see where the article says Tolkien 'abandoned' Narn i Hin Hurin.

A-a-hem:

Mr Tolkien has spent the past 30 years working on The Children of Hurin, which his father began in 1918 and later abandoned. Though excerpts have been published this will be the first time a completed version of the epic story featuring the elves and dwarves of Middle Earth has appeared...

Nevertheless, I am probably over-using the word.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

*stands corrected*

[Butterbeer]

Not at all Gwai - stand Proud!!

Lovely lass as we all agree Rosie is - when she errs - and badly as here - do not let one careless word from god knows what "authority" let you take 30 ..yes THIRTY YEARS of BOTH TOLKIEN'S life and work away from you.

hardly rushed or ill-concieved is it?

How old is he? ..Hardly for the money or the fame ...

Tis, in like to his father, for the joy of it.

30 years ...we are not talking Mills and Boon here for F's sake.

Poppycock!! say I to the lovely Rosie ....Poppycock me dear!

[Gwaimir Windgem]

You are quite right, of course, BB. I did not for a minute give up my support of ol' Chris in this endeavour. I just stood corrected on the question of the work being 'abandoned'.