Shippey - Tolkien Author of the Century
4 Jul, 2010
2010-7-4 1:19:19 PM UTC
2010-7-4 1:19:19 PM UTC
I recently bought (on ebay) a copy of JRR Tolkien Author of the Century signed by Tom Shippey. The main reason I bought it, even though it was a second impression was that it also has, throughout, suggested amendments by Tom Shippey.
Whether these were just idle jottings or have been incorporated in later impressions, I don’t know.
There is nothing startling in the changes and the errors would have been spotted by many fans anyway but I thought it might be interesting to let other members know what Mr Shippey’s notes were and ask if anyone knows if later impressions remain unchanged.
page vi - two names to be added to the Acknowledgements
page 16, line 16 – “father Thror” corrected to “grandfather Thror”, “grandfather Thrain” corrected to “father Thrain”
page 25, line 26 – “Brill” corrected to “Bree”
page 31, line 28 – “eigi einhamr” the “a” is crossed out but the margin note suggests to insert “a” underlined (not sure what is intended myself)
page 39, line 13 – “Thor’s” corrected to “Odin’s”
page 68, line 2 – comma after “Witch-King” deleted and “who will” amended to “who would”
page 72, line 22 – after “the same as” add “or close to”; “grandfather” amended to “father”
page 107, line 6 – “chapter 3” amended to “chapter 4”
page 113, line 20 – move “is” to come after “lied about this”
page 175, line 18 – “The Head Shirriff” amended to “One of the Shirriffs”
page 197, line 5 – “1939” amended to “1938”
page 197, lines 6/7 – “published her own edition” amended to “completed and published it”
page 197, line 7 – “1951” amended to “1953”
page 211, line 3 – “in 1947” amended to “by 1947”
page 217, line 30 – “Voyage to Venus” amended to “Perelandra”
page 227, line 18 – “1987” amended to “1985”
page 270, line 5 – “1959” amended to “1954”; “over sixty” amended to “fifty-five”
page 270, line 28 – “1927” amended to “1929”;
page 278, line 10 – “twice” deleted;
page 278, line 11 – comma inserted after “1937”
page 278, line 11 – “in 1970” amended to “in 1962 and 1970”
page 278, line 11 – “Several” amended to “It and some”
page 286, line 24 – “a modern English father and son” amended to “three modern English characters”
page 287, line 2 – “Rateliffe” amended to “Rateliff”
page 345, col 1, line 5 – “Rateliffe” amended to “Rateliff”
Whether these were just idle jottings or have been incorporated in later impressions, I don’t know.
There is nothing startling in the changes and the errors would have been spotted by many fans anyway but I thought it might be interesting to let other members know what Mr Shippey’s notes were and ask if anyone knows if later impressions remain unchanged.
page vi - two names to be added to the Acknowledgements
page 16, line 16 – “father Thror” corrected to “grandfather Thror”, “grandfather Thrain” corrected to “father Thrain”
page 25, line 26 – “Brill” corrected to “Bree”
page 31, line 28 – “eigi einhamr” the “a” is crossed out but the margin note suggests to insert “a” underlined (not sure what is intended myself)
page 39, line 13 – “Thor’s” corrected to “Odin’s”
page 68, line 2 – comma after “Witch-King” deleted and “who will” amended to “who would”
page 72, line 22 – after “the same as” add “or close to”; “grandfather” amended to “father”
page 107, line 6 – “chapter 3” amended to “chapter 4”
page 113, line 20 – move “is” to come after “lied about this”
page 175, line 18 – “The Head Shirriff” amended to “One of the Shirriffs”
page 197, line 5 – “1939” amended to “1938”
page 197, lines 6/7 – “published her own edition” amended to “completed and published it”
page 197, line 7 – “1951” amended to “1953”
page 211, line 3 – “in 1947” amended to “by 1947”
page 217, line 30 – “Voyage to Venus” amended to “Perelandra”
page 227, line 18 – “1987” amended to “1985”
page 270, line 5 – “1959” amended to “1954”; “over sixty” amended to “fifty-five”
page 270, line 28 – “1927” amended to “1929”;
page 278, line 10 – “twice” deleted;
page 278, line 11 – comma inserted after “1937”
page 278, line 11 – “in 1970” amended to “in 1962 and 1970”
page 278, line 11 – “Several” amended to “It and some”
page 286, line 24 – “a modern English father and son” amended to “three modern English characters”
page 287, line 2 – “Rateliffe” amended to “Rateliff”
page 345, col 1, line 5 – “Rateliffe” amended to “Rateliff”
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