The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien
Revised and Expanded edition
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Narrated by:
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Samuel West
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Mike Grady
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Chris Smith
About this listen
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.
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 mass of letters – to his publishers, to members of his family, to friends, and to 'fans' of his books – which often reveal the inner workings of his mind, and which record the history of composition of his works and his reaction 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 presented, in Tolkien's own words, a highly detailed portrait of the man in his 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 go back to the editors’ original typescripts and notes, restoring more than 150 letters that were excised purely to achieve what was then deemed a ‘publishable length’, and present the book as originally intended.
Enthusiasts for his writings will find much that is new, for the letters not only include fresh information about Middle-earth, such as Tolkien’s own plot summary of the entirety of 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. In addition, this new selection will entertain anyone who appreciates the art of letter-writing, of which J.R.R. Tolkien was a master.
©2024 J. R. R. Tolkien, Humphrey Carpenter, Christopher Tolkien, Chris Smith (P)2024 HarperCollins PublishersYou may also enjoy...
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Beren and Lúthien
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Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was an immortal Elf. Her father, a great Elvish lord, was deeply opposed to Beren, and imposed on him an impossible task that he must perform before he might wed Lúthien. Undaunted by Lord Thingol’s challenge, Beren and Lúthien embark on the supremely heroic attempt to rob Morgoth, the greatest of all evil beings, of a Silmaril, one of the hallowed jewels that adorn the Black Enemy’s crown.
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Good Text, Strange Format.
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Tales from the Perilous Realm
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The short stories are great, however...
- By Linda in Nepean, Canada on 2023-08-01
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The Fall of Gondolin
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Gondolin, beautiful but undiscoverable, is central to the enmity of two of the greatest powers in the world. Morgoth of the uttermost evil seeks in vain to discover the marvellously hidden city of his Elven enemies, while the gods in Valinor refuse to support Ulmo Lord of Waters' designs to protect it. Into this world comes Tuor, cousin of Túrin, and guided unseen by Ulmo he sets out on the fearful journey to Gondolin to warn them of their coming doom.
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Excellent
- By Anonymous User on 2021-03-03
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The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
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The Adventures of Tom Bombadil is a collection of poetry written by J. R. R. Tolkien and was first published in 1962. The audio is read by Sir Derek Jacobi and is a collection of 16 poems that contain an assortment of bestiary verse and fairy tale rhyme. It is a stunning recording that captures all the characters in their own charming and mysterious ways.
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The Children of Hurin
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There are tales of Middle-earth from times long before The Lord of the Rings. The story told in this book is set in the great country that lay beyond the Grey Havens in the West: lands where Treebeard once walked, but which were drowned in the great cataclysm that ended the First Age of the World.
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Poorly organized
- By MistahMojoRyan on 2018-08-17
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
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The Fall of Númenor
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- Written by: J.R.R. Tolkien, Brian Sibley - editor
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Overall
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Story
J.R.R. Tolkien famously described the Second Age of Middle-earth as a ‘dark age, and not very much of its history is (or need be) told’. And for many years readers would need to be content with the tantalizing glimpses of it found within the pages of The Lord of the Rings and its appendices, including the forging of the Rings of Power, the building of the Barad-dûr and the rise of Sauron.
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Different ratings for different readers….
- By Anastasia Beaverhausen on 2023-01-29
Written by: J.R.R. Tolkien, and others
-
Beren and Lúthien
- Written by: Christopher Tolkien, J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was an immortal Elf. Her father, a great Elvish lord, was deeply opposed to Beren, and imposed on him an impossible task that he must perform before he might wed Lúthien. Undaunted by Lord Thingol’s challenge, Beren and Lúthien embark on the supremely heroic attempt to rob Morgoth, the greatest of all evil beings, of a Silmaril, one of the hallowed jewels that adorn the Black Enemy’s crown.
-
-
Good Text, Strange Format.
- By Anonymous User on 2020-11-03
Written by: Christopher Tolkien, and others
-
Tales from the Perilous Realm
- Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Derek Jacobi
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Combined into one volume, this is the definitive collection of Tolkien's five acclaimed modern classic 'fairie' tales in the vein of The Hobbit, read by Derek Jacobi. The five tales are written with the same skill, quality and charm that made The Hobbit a classic. Largely overlooked because of their short lengths, they are joined here in one volume which reaffirms Tolkien's place as a master storyteller for listeners young and old.
-
-
The short stories are great, however...
- By Linda in Nepean, Canada on 2023-08-01
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
-
The Fall of Gondolin
- Written by: Christopher Tolkien, J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gondolin, beautiful but undiscoverable, is central to the enmity of two of the greatest powers in the world. Morgoth of the uttermost evil seeks in vain to discover the marvellously hidden city of his Elven enemies, while the gods in Valinor refuse to support Ulmo Lord of Waters' designs to protect it. Into this world comes Tuor, cousin of Túrin, and guided unseen by Ulmo he sets out on the fearful journey to Gondolin to warn them of their coming doom.
-
-
Excellent
- By Anonymous User on 2021-03-03
Written by: Christopher Tolkien, and others
-
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
- Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Sir Derek Jacobi
- Length: 1 hr and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil is a collection of poetry written by J. R. R. Tolkien and was first published in 1962. The audio is read by Sir Derek Jacobi and is a collection of 16 poems that contain an assortment of bestiary verse and fairy tale rhyme. It is a stunning recording that captures all the characters in their own charming and mysterious ways.
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
-
The Children of Hurin
- Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Christopher Lee
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There are tales of Middle-earth from times long before The Lord of the Rings. The story told in this book is set in the great country that lay beyond the Grey Havens in the West: lands where Treebeard once walked, but which were drowned in the great cataclysm that ended the First Age of the World.
-
-
Poorly organized
- By MistahMojoRyan on 2018-08-17
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
-
The Fall of Númenor
- And Other Tales from the Second Age of Middle-Earth
- Written by: J.R.R. Tolkien, Brian Sibley - editor
- Narrated by: Samuel West, Brian Sibley
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
J.R.R. Tolkien famously described the Second Age of Middle-earth as a ‘dark age, and not very much of its history is (or need be) told’. And for many years readers would need to be content with the tantalizing glimpses of it found within the pages of The Lord of the Rings and its appendices, including the forging of the Rings of Power, the building of the Barad-dûr and the rise of Sauron.
-
-
Different ratings for different readers….
- By Anastasia Beaverhausen on 2023-01-29
Written by: J.R.R. Tolkien, and others
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Unfinished Tales
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- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Unfinished Tales is a collection of narratives ranging in time from the Elder Days of Middle-earth to the end of the War of the Ring and provides those who have read The Lord of the Rings with a whole collection of background and new stories from the 20th century’s most acclaimed popular author.
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Brilliant handling of complex material
- By Tihemme Gagnon on 2021-05-13
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The Silmarillion
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- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The complete unabridged audiobook of J.R.R Tolkien's The Silmarillion. The Silmarillion is an account of the Elder Days, of the First Age of Tolkien’s world. It is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back, and in whose events some of them such as Elrond and Galadriel took part.
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A truly epic tale, just not good as an audiobook
- By CullenJ on 2019-03-15
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
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The English and Their History
- Written by: Robert Tombs
- Narrated by: James Langton
- Length: 43 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Robert Tombs' momentous The English and Their History is both a startlingly fresh and a uniquely inclusive account of the people who have a claim to be the oldest nation in the world. The English first came into existence as an idea, before they had a common ruler and before the country they lived in even had a name. They have lasted as a recognizable entity ever since, and their defining national institutions can be traced back to the earliest years of their history.
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Really great!
- By Cedric on 2020-01-12
Written by: Robert Tombs
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The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth
- Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Christopher Tolkien
- Length: 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm’s Son was originally published in the 1953 edition of Essays and Studies. In December of that year, J.R.R. Tolkien took possession of a reel-to-reel tape recorder and, some time during the first few months of 1954, decided to record ‘the whole thing on tape’ as a way of ‘testing’ the performative quality of the dramatic dialogue between Tídwald and Torhthelm.
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Professor Tolkien Time Capsule
- By Severyn on 2023-11-27
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
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Shakespeare: The Complete Works
- Argo Classics
- Written by: William Shakespeare
- Narrated by: Ian McKellen, Derek Jacobi, Diana Rigg, and others
- Length: 98 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
All of the Shakespeare plays within the Argo Classics catalogue are performed by the Marlowe Dramatic Society and Professional Players. The Marlowe was founded in 1907 with a mission to focus on effective delivery of verse, respect the integrity of texts and rescue neglected plays by Shakespeare’s contemporaries and the less performed plays of Shakespeare himself. The Marlowe has performed annually at Cambridge Arts Theatre since its opening in 1936 and continues to produce some of the finest actors of their generations.
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Some serious Errors in Release
- By Michael Legedza on 2021-08-06
Written by: William Shakespeare
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The Gospel According to Tolkien
- Visions of the Kingdom in Middle Earth
- Written by: Ralph Wood
- Narrated by: Nadia May
- Length: 6 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In this accessible and engaging book, Ralph Wood shows us that J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece is a deeply Christian work because it does not blink back the horrors of our terrible times but confronts them with startling honesty.
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Wonderful
- By M on 2024-10-30
Written by: Ralph Wood
What the critics say
‘The closest we can get to an actual autobiography … reveals new insights into the mind of one of England’s greatest storytellers’ Telegraph
‘These revised and amplified letters are an absolute treat’ Sunday Times
‘This is a terrific book … the letters simply glow with warmth, interest and enthusiasm’ Private Eye
‘These letters provide an intriguing new glimpse into Tolkien’s life and work, allowing us to hear from one of the world’s best-loved authors in his own voice’ The National Archives
What listeners say about The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
- Jordan
- 2025-01-14
A Glimpse Inside a Great Mind
Reading, and especially listening, to these letters provides an incredible glimpse into the mind of Tolkien throughout his life, and throughout the painstaking creation of his legendary work. At times the letters are deeply personal and express his beliefs and fears and his love for his family. Other letters display his exhaustive consideration of every detail of his created worlds, illuminating background information that doesn't appear in even the appendices of The Lord of the Rings or The Silmarillion.
It's not exactly a riveting page turner, and my wife quietly chuckled and rolled her eyes every time I mentioned some esoteric tidbit from my reading, but any Tolkien fan will feel a deeper understanding of the author and (if possible) a greater appreciation of the literary masterpiece he produced.
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