Americans collecting British books

1) I collect other book series (though I'm not as dedicated to them) and I generally prefer to purchase hardcover editions published in the country where the author is from.* This is mainly because I like to have the dust jacket artwork that appeals to the author's culture as I feel they are more appropriate for the book.**

2) Several Tolkien works published in the UK are never published by HM/HMH, which is not great for a completist like me. In the case of the Deluxe range, for example, HMH has been inconsistent.

Obviously, this is ultimately a matter of personal taste and what works for me might not work for someone else.

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• One thing I particularly cannot stand is that some publishers alter text when publishing on different countries that speak the language the book was originally written in with the purpose of making it more accessible to the local market. I am not aware of any Tolkien books that suffer from this, but this is in part why I developed this habit.
  

• For example, take a look at the first edition dust jacket artwork of UK Silmarillion and UK Unfinished Tales. Then, take look at those of USA Sil and USA UT . Not only I consider those used for the UK market to be more appealing, but also more fitting for the books.

For me, I'll typically go with HC over HM/HMH because typically the quality is better - at least with first printings anyway.

HM/HMH have long went the cheap route with paper and bindings. Most of their Tolkien offerings are usually mass market paperback editions. Exception to that obviously being the "new" titles, which do get a hardcover edition but again paper quality is usually lacking.

Additionally, HC usually has a few tricks up their sleeves with Deluxe or Special/Limited editions that the HM/HMH doesn't bother with. (Most recent example would be how Art of LotR came with in a slipcase from HC, whereas HMH was just the standard book. Same print/binding quality on both)

And lastly for me, is HC seems to offer some titles that HM/HMH don't, because they assume the demand isn't there to justify the print run.

Velmeran wrote:
For me, I'll typically go with HC over HM/HMH because typically the quality is better - at least with first printings anyway.

This is true when HC first prints are made in Italy or the UK. However, this does not apply to anything made in China.

For recent publications I tend to favor books printed and bound by LEGO.

Morinehtar wrote:

Velmeran wrote:
For me, I'll typically go with HC over HM/HMH because typically the quality is better - at least with first printings anyway.

This is true when HC first prints are made in Italy or the UK. However, this does not apply to anything made in China.

I do tend to favor books printed and bound by LEGO.

With Tolkien, we are somewhat lucky - as the majority of the work was printed back in the days when quality was very high, so as collectors we have many high quality books to collect, without having to pay too much attention to the current releases (many of which are basically filler anyway).

I subscribe to that thought. The GA&U publications are my favorite.

This is true when HC first prints are made in Italy or the UK. However, this does not apply to anything made in China.

Well all of the HM/HMH ones are printed in China and I'd argue that not all Chinese printers are the same, some are better than others and HC at least seems to use those.

Then again I've only got 2 or 3 HC books printed in China to compare to 15+ HM/HMH ones. So could just be my sample sizes are off.

Velmeran wrote:

This is true when HC first prints are made in Italy or the UK. However, this does not apply to anything made in China.

Well all of the HM/HMH ones are printed in China.

Not all. I have HM/HMH Tolkien books printed in USA and Belgium.

Same as with HC, you have to dig to find somethig not made in China these days.

Thanks for all the replies. I can’t argue, because, I asked for your thoughts, and you delivered and I appreciate that. There has been nothing new out of Houghton Mifflin that I have really liked in this millennium. However, for older books, to me it’s mostly a toss-up whether the UK or US edition is nicer. For HoMe, Sil, UT, the American first editions are all really nice. And, the tie-breaker in favor of American editions is the hunt in physical bookstores, and nostalgia, not just my own nostalgia but the nostalgia of any Tolkien fan who walks into my living room.

Having owned a mid 90s Ford Taurus I can never shake the bias that anything American made is somehow lesser, plus our book stores are generally atrocious and have become pseudo coffer bars, toy stores, pop culture knick knack shops, you name it. I suppose the Brits aren't known for their solid cars, but in general the feeling I have is that anti-intellectualism is more of a thing in the US than in the UK (though my experiences are largely confined to being in London for weeks (not months) at a time).