Essay on Dragons & The Hobbit Facsimiles

Orcrist wrote:

So apparently, Essay on Dragons only shows up in full in the 2018 Hobbit Facsimile edition in that little paperback that's included. Does anyone know if it's been republished anywhere else since? I would very much like to read it.

Also, while we're on the topic- what's the consensus on the facsimiles? I don't particularly like the lenticular case that the 2018 one has, and much prefer the 2016 slipcase. Then there's the 70th anniversary version. They all seem fairly similar. I'd love to hear anyone's takes on the differences between the three.

It has not been published anywhere else.

Orcrist wrote:

So apparently, Essay on Dragons only shows up in full in the 2018 Hobbit Facsimile edition in that little paperback that's included. Does anyone know if it's been republished anywhere else since? I would very much like to read it.

Also, while we're on the topic- what's the consensus on the facsimiles? I don't particularly like the lenticular case that the 2018 one has, and much prefer the 2016 slipcase. Then there's the 70th anniversary version. They all seem fairly similar. I'd love to hear anyone's takes on the differences between the three.

I don't love the lenticular cover. However, the Chinese reprint included in the giftbox (and probably now in the slipcase) is materially better than the original Itialian print (believe it or not). The binding changed from glued to sewn and the colour of the boards was corrected from blue/grey/green to green. The 70th anniversary edition is 4th edition text, so not really comparable.

From what I know, the essay appears in full in The Hobbit Facsimile Gift Set.

However, small extracts can be found in....

~ Artist & Illustrator: references and quotes on pages 53 (chapter Visions, Myths and Legends), 81, (chapter Art for Children), 136, 153 (The Hobbit)

~ Companion and Guide Revised and Expanded edition (2017): Chronology and Reader's Guide: Vol. I, chronology, ref. in 1 Jan. 1938; Vol. II, in the entry 'Dragons' (Lecture on Dragons) p 310-311

~ The History of The Hobbit: (one book revised and expanded edition) p. 527 (The Second Phase, Plote C, XII. Conversations with Smaug, Tolkien's Dragons), note 5 in p. 540-541, and note 1 in p. 563 (The Second Phase, Plote C, XIII (later XIV), The Death of Smaug, Bard the Dragon-Slayer)

Also, a deleted part, absent from the booklet, was quoted in 1991 by Christina Scull in her article « Dragons from Andrew Lang's Retelling of Sigurd to Tolkien's Chrysophylax », Leaves from the Tree: J.R.R. Tolkien's Shorter Fiction, The Tolkien Society.

I appreciate the info, but ugh- why is it that Tolkien's works get chopped up so much? "In full" doesn't even mean in full anymore, it seems. Who decides that portions of essay or works get removed?

This is not meant to be snarky, and hope it doesn't come off as such: it's the publishers job to make money by selling books. That's why we have Tree and Leaf, Poems and Stories, and Tales From the Perilous Realm. One could even add The Tolkien Treasury boxed set in there; as those stories do appear in Perilous Realm.

By offering new or different stuff in each of those mentioned above, they get the most ardent of fans to buy the new titles that offer something new, even if it's not completely new.

Just look at Letters From father Christmas: HarperCollins currently has four editions in print, with two of them appearing within the past two years!
- the paperback from a few years ago
- the hardback from a few years ago
- the collector's edition of 2019
- the new edition this year

I know that some other titles, like The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings exist in as many, if not more, formats; each of those have more differences.

Oh, I totally get that- I have no problem with varying editions of stuff. I actually like it- I'm not a completist, so I don't feel the need to buy every single format. Having several ones gives me the choice of picking the one I like best.

What I have a problem with is disingenuous marketing. We all know that every year HC puts out some book and markets it as being "brand new" or "never before seen," when it actually just hasn't been published by them.

I'm looking at spending 60 bucks just so I can read this essay, which they market as being presented "in full," and it turns out to just be most of it. That's what I have a problem with.

Ah I understand. I also wish to elaborate on my above comment.

I have no problem at all if an illustrated edition exists (possbily multiple at once, like The Hobbit). So different editions like that makes sense.

However, with Letters From Father Christmas, I find it surprising that previous hardback (from 2009? 2012? I forget the year) is still in print, when this year's edition is more updated. One would think that they would stop one to make the other. Not meant as a complaint, but an observation.

I think you misunderstood me or the "in full" description. Yes, the booklet is the full version of Tolkien's talk at the Oxford Museum ; nothing seems to be missing. But, the talk is based on a text Tolkien didn't read in full, in which he deleted at least one small part (two or three sentences); they didn't appear in the booklet version, but in it, you'll have the core of Tolkien's ideas on the subject. Let's say it's like the On fairy-stories conference vs. the Tolkien On Fairy-Stories book. I mentioned it only for the record.