TCG Letter #1501 / Carpenter Letter #307a

Writing to son Michael, Tolkien says he hopes he is doing better and has recovered from overwork. He says that he and Edith spent Christmas with daughter Priscilla, but that he missed Michael and his brothers.

He tells Michael, that the Lord of the Rings is selling very well in paperback as well as hardback. The Hobbit is also doing quite well, although Tolkien isn't seeing a lot of the royalties. He details housing and tax expenses and how they are eating away at much of this income. He also says work is slowly continuing on The Silmarillion, but it is slowing that the days are slipping by.