p.11 suggests Tolkien knew Solar Year is slowly varying, yet he still used "365d. 5h. 48m. 46s" definition both in NoMe and LOTR 2nd ed. It seems he thought the varying length of solar year is purely due to the slowing of earth-rotations ("owing to the inexactitude of the Sun-year in relation to earth-rotations, were complicated if stated in relation to Middle-earth times (in days, hours, seconds)"), and assumed the length of solar year was growing longer ("the length of the Sun-year. This is held to have varied and to have lengthened"). Therefore, I think Tolkien's concept of "solar year" is that a solar year always equals 365d. 5h. 48m. 46s, where "day" is defined by the earth's rotation period. Since earth's rotation period grows longer, "solar year" also grows longer in the long run.

In the primary world, the solar year actually grows shorter, for two reasons. 1. the absolute length of solar year has a 41000-year-period sinusoidal variation of ~90s, because of the variation of earth axial tilt. During the recent 10000 years, the solar year shortened on average ~5s every 1000 years. 2. the relative length of solar year, when measured by "day", grows shorter, since the length of "day" grows longer as earth rotation slows. The length of 365 days lengthens ~7s every 1000 years.
Since the third age is ~10000 years before our time, their solar year should be ~365d. 5h. 49m. 36s (in atomic SI time) or ~365d. 5h. 50m. 46s (relative to earth rotation)

Received the Harper Collins book today. First impressions are very favourable. There is a wealth of material in there. Most of the chapters are fairly short and my impression is that the reading will not be as dense or heavy as some of the HOME volumes. It looks to be a delightful book for dipping into and serendipitous learning.

I have the standard, non-deluxe edition. It’s the usual Harper Collins quality and paper.

Aelfwine Urulókë Great Interview to start Oxonmoot. Thank you

Indeed, that was a real treat Gents. Thanks Aelfwine for telling me which parts of the book to read first and that it's okay to gloss over the numbers

An article from the German translator of The Nature of Middle-earth "Natur und Wesen von Mittelerde", Helmut W. Pesch.

https://www.hobbitpresse.de/2021/09/03/tolkien_der_weltenbauer/

At the risk of tooting my own horn, here is the first substantial written review of my book that I've seen, and I find it both perceptive and eloquent:

https://winteriscoming.net/2021/09/03/review-the-nature-of-middle-earth-enhances-tolkiens-world/

A pop culture review wherein the reviewer constantly capitalizes “Earth” but otherwise positive.

https://comicyears.com/pop-culture/the-last-middle-earth-book/

The Tolkien Road Podcast have their first impressions.

In 3 words: ''Tolkien's superfans dream!!!''.

Here is the link:

Nerd of the Rings review, short but informational: