First ever deluxe slipcased edition of the comprehensive collection of letters spanning the adult life of one of the world’s greatest storytellers, now revised and expanded to include more than 150 previously unseen letters, with revealing new insights into The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion, featuring a special frontispiece.

J.R.R. Tolkien, creator of the languages and history of Middle-earth as recorded in The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion, was one of the most prolific letter-writers of this century. Over the years he wrote a vast number of letters – to his publishers, to family members, to friends, and to fans of his books – which often reveal the inner workings of his mind, and document the history of the creation of his works and his reactions to subsequent events.

A selection from Tolkien's correspondence, collected and edited by Tolkien's official biographer, Humphrey Carpenter, and assisted by Christopher Tolkien, was published in 1981. It offered, in Tolkien's own words, a highly detailed portrait of the man in many aspects: storyteller, scholar, Catholic, parent, friend, and observer of the world around him.

In this revised and expanded edition of The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, it has been possible to revisit the editors’ original typescripts and notes, restoring more than 150 letters that were previously omitted solely to achieve what was then considered a ‘publishable length,’ and present the book as originally intended.

Fans of his writings will find much new material, as the letters not only include fresh information about Middle-earth, such as Tolkien’s own plot summary of the entire The Lord of the Rings and a vision for publishing his ‘Tales of the Three Ages,’ but also many insights into the man and his world. Additionally, this new selection will entertain anyone who appreciates the art of letter-writing, of which J.R.R. Tolkien was a master.

Pages: 720, Dimensions: 14.9x14.9cm