Want to buy the Silmarillion - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

davem · 02-13-2008, 01:27 PM

Second Edition is basically the First Edition text with a few small corrections, but it does have a long letter from JRRT to Milton Waldman of Collins setting out the whole mythology & which is a nice synopsis of the whole thing.

As for which edition, its just down to what appeals to you. I've got four hardback editions - the Allen & Unwin first from 1977, the special edition with the Naismith illustrations, the recent slipcased deluxe, & the Harper Collins hardback from a couple of years back with Tolkien's painting of Taniquetil on the jacket. I think my favourite is the A&U - 'cos that's the one I read first, but the 'Taniquetil' one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silmarillion...2930429&sr=8-3
is nice, & has a matte dustjacket like the recent 50th anniversary LotR set, 70th anniversary Hobbit & 20th anniversary UT (all with Tolkien's paintings on the covers, so they make a nice set.

If you were looking for paperbacks, Harper Collins are bringing out a matching pb set of LotR, TH & CoH with Alan Lee's paintings in April, & a matching Sil paperback with the Naismith paintings later in the year in conjunction with the 2008 Calendar, which will also have some of the Naismith paintings.

As an aside First Edition Sil's from '77 are pretty cheap - I picked up one in mint condition a couple of years back for £2 - cheaper than when I bought it 30 years ago.

02-13-2008, 01:27 PM	#2
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	Second Edition is basically the First Edition text with a few small corrections, but it does have a long letter from JRRT to Milton Waldman of Collins setting out the whole mythology & which is a nice synopsis of the whole thing. As for which edition, its just down to what appeals to you. I've got four hardback editions - the Allen & Unwin first from 1977, the special edition with the Naismith illustrations, the recent slipcased deluxe, & the Harper Collins hardback from a couple of years back with Tolkien's painting of Taniquetil on the jacket. I think my favourite is the A&U - 'cos that's the one I read first, but the 'Taniquetil' one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silmarillion...2930429&sr=8-3 is nice, & has a matte dustjacket like the recent 50th anniversary LotR set, 70th anniversary Hobbit & 20th anniversary UT (all with Tolkien's paintings on the covers, so they make a nice set. If you were looking for paperbacks, Harper Collins are bringing out a matching pb set of LotR, TH & CoH with Alan Lee's paintings in April, & a matching Sil paperback with the Naismith paintings later in the year in conjunction with the 2008 Calendar, which will also have some of the Naismith paintings. As an aside First Edition Sil's from '77 are pretty cheap - I picked up one in mint condition a couple of years back for £2 - cheaper than when I bought it 30 years ago. __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."