TCG Letter #14 / Carpenter Letter #14

In this three-page handwritten letter, Tolkien writes to his publisher about the release date for The Hobbit, going on at length about how it would be better done in June than in October. He has interested C.S. Lewis in reviewing the book when it comes out, and thinks he could get his friend who edits the Oxford University Magazine to arrange a review as well. He is perterbed to learn that his thoughts on American publishing were forwarded to Houghton Mifflin, they were meant to be private.

Tolkien includes three coloured illustrations as samples with this letter, but they are not for The Hobbit, they are for other stories. He can make more for them if they are interested.

In an unpublished section of this letter, Tolkien asks if Houghton Mifflin might publish the maps in their original colours, and with the runic map redrawn, and he notes that GA&U's "summer announcements" still say The Hobbit is coming out in June.

Tolkien also sent a second letter ^{Letter from J.R.R. Tolkien to Allen & Unwin • 28 May 1937 (#475)[1]} to GA&U on this day.

This letter is held at the Tolkien–George Allen & Unwin archive, at HarperCollins.