One Fantasy To Rule Them AllTHE LORD OF THE RINGS: The Fellowship of the Ring; The Two Towers; The Return of the KingBy J.R.R. Tolkien1967Handsome set of the first printings (all) of the second US edition of the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, comprising THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE TWO TOWERS, and THE RETURN OF THE KING - all review copies.Near fine in near fine jackets."Nobody believes me when I say that my long book is an attempt to create a world in which a form of language agreeable to my personal aesthetic might seem real. But it is true." - Tolkien, "A Secret Vice" Tolkien's Middle Earth grew not only from his experiences in World War I and studies as a professor of English Language and Literature at Oxford, but from his childhood hobby of constructed languages (conlangs). Tolkien argued in his essay "A Secret Vice" that "for perfect construction of an art-language it is found necessary to construct at least in outline a mythology" along with it. In other words, "your language construction will breed a mythology." Middle Earth sprang into being in part so that Tolkien could draw on a mature culture, history, and mythology for his beloved conlangs. As a result, we have Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam; Gandalf the Grey, and Aragorn who is Strider; the One Ring, the covetous Gollum, and a harrowing journey to Mount Doom. Houghton published the first US editions of the trilogy from 1954-1956. This second US edition follows closely the second UK from Allen & Unwin of the previous year, which was heavily revised and corrected by the author. These books, marketed as the "Revised Edition" and including a new foreword by Tolkien, were issued both as individual volumes (as here) and a slipcased set. A complete set of review copies is rare.Read more: Hammond, J. R. R. Tolkien : A Descriptive Bibliography, A5f.i, ii, and iii; Tolkien, "A Secret Vice" in The Monsters and the Critics. Boston / Cambridge: Houghton Mifflin Company / The Riverside Press, 1967. 3 volumes, measuring 8.78'' x 5.5''. Original publisher's full black gilt-stamped cloth all. In original unclipped ($6.00) color pictorial dust jackets all. Jackets and label designed by Robert Quackenbush. 424, 452, and 440 pages respectively, with all folding maps (by Tolkien's son Christopher) present. Maps are unfolded, intact, and in fine condition. Houghton Mifflin review slips loosely laid into each volume. Touches of wear to spine tips, extremities of jackets. Spines evenly sunned. Some toning to top edges of jacket flaps. Cloth worn a bit here and there. Overall: a clean, sound set. Type Punch Matrix Type Punch Matrix is a rare book firm founded by Rebecca Romney and Brian Cassidy. Between them, they bring over 30 years of experience in the antiquarian book trade. TPM sells a mixture of beloved classics and innovative texts from throughout print history, for collectors and institutions alike. Handpress and modern books, archives and manuscripts, letterpress and ephemera: TPM aims to make collecting both more accessible and more diverse, and believes in the mindful acquisition, preservation, and celebration of the materials of our literary cultures. Proud member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of American (ABAA), the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), and the International Online Booksellers Association (IOBA). Guarantee We guarantee the accuracy and authenticity of all our listings. "First edition" always means first printing unless otherwise indicated. Items may be returned for any reason within 30 days, through prior arrangement, and in original condition. Maryland residents must add 6% sales tax. Shipping We pride ourselves on our packaging. All books are carefully packed to help ensure safe arrival in condition sent. We use new boxes, with not a single bubble envelope to be found in our shipping room. We ship most packages via USPS media mail and include delivery confirmation at no additional charge. Delivery typically takes 5-10 days, but may be longer, especially during the holidays. Orders are shipped within two business days. Priority USPS, UPS, and Fed-Ex services are available on request; please inquire for a specific quote. We combine shipping on items purchased at the same time. If you check out immediately and are overcharged for shipping during checkout, we will issue you a prompt refund, once actual shipping costs are known. International shipping is available, and we are happy to ship to our international customers. Please contact is BEFORE PURCHASING for an exact quote.This listing was created by Bibliopolis.