The Lord of the Rings (Mind's Eye Version)

Rating:
Summary: I cannot believe.. . ..
Review: some of the superficial readings of this book which produced the negative reviews. (I can't speak to the defects of the edition, as I haven't seen this edition.)

W.H. Auden said of LOTR "if anyone says that he does not like it, I will never trust his literary judgement again." When one of the greatest English-language poets of the 20th C. says something like this, he should be paid attention to. Now, I'm not saying that anyone should say that he likes it if he does not; far from it. But consider: do you consider your literary judgement superior to Audens? What have you written lately? Do you not think that, when your evaluation of a work is so different from that of someone like him that perhaps, just perhaps, you may have missed something? Just because someone who is tone-deaf can't appreciate a Beethoven symphony, or someone who is color-blind can't appreciate a painting by Matisse doesn't mean that there is something wrong with either the symphony or the painting, but rather with the ears and eyes of the beholder.

The charge that JRRT is a racist falls flat as soon as it is seriously examined. The whole point of LOTR is the members of the different races--dwarf, elf, human, hobbit--uniting and overcoming their mutual distrust and dislike for one another in the face of something that will destroy them all if they do not unite. The one character who is arrogantly sure of his race's superiority, and who never thinks that he could be wrong, is Denethor, and look what happens to him!

As for the charge of the glorification of war, that, too falls flat. JRRT had been a junior officer in the British Army's infantry during WW I; he was at THE SOMME. He was one of seven good friends to enlist together; only two survived the War. How could a man like that glorify war? Read his descriptions of the Dead Marshes and the Morannon in LOTR, and of Sam's reaction to the skirmish in Ithilien; read the description of the Battle of the V Armies and the aftermath in THE HOBBIT. These are not the writings of a warmonger.

In short, for those who did not like the book, finding it 'boring, trivial or contemptable', JRRT himself said that he didn't mind, as he had similar opinions of their writings, or of the sort of writing they appear to prefer. For those of you who think he had a sinister political or social agenda, read it again, a little more carefully, and you will see that you are mistaken.

Rating:
Summary: Don't buy this edition!!
Review: Lord of the Rings is amazing-we all know that. But don't spend $50 for this poor-quality edition.
I recommend 1) you could look around for good quality individual books 2) the edition I have is a Houghton Mifflin-all 3 books hardcover (ISBN: 0739408259) This edition is very strong, good quality paper, clear type. There really isn't illustrations but in the back there are a set of clear maps. Plus this edition is unabridged-it's got all the Appendixes and everything Tolkien originally had. It also has a nice dust jacket. Type in the ISBN in the search bar at Amazon and it'll take you right to this book. You can buy it new from several sellers for $2.50-wow! It retails for $60. I read through this edition all the way but the spine is not creased at all.