The other map

[davem]

Just came across this site which tells why & how Christopher Tolkien's original LotR maps came to be replaced

http://www.tolkienmaps.com/tolkienmapsstory.html

Its another interesting example of a change to the book which has occurred since the author's death - we saw minor changes all during Tolkien's lifetime, made by the author himself, & then of course we had the more comprehensive Second Edition alterations (which was brought about as a result of the Ace Books controversy), at which point the long promised Index appeared in RotK, but there have also been changes - like the new map - which have occurred since his death. Most important of these has been the 50th Anniversary text, which included not just 300-400 changes (mostly minor) to the text itself, but also a brand new index by the editors Wayne Hammond & Christina Scull.

Mind you, not everyone has been entirely happy with the posthumous changes (I started a thread http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=11338 on this subject some time back, & the missus started another on Christopher Tolkien's role as Literary Executor of his father's work - including the following excerpt from JRR Tolkien's will:

’Upon Trust to allow my son Christopher full access to the same* in order that he may act as my Literary Executor with full power to publish edit alter rewrite or complete any work of mine which may be unpublished at my death or to destroy the whole or any part or parts of any such unpublished works as he in his absolute discretion may think fit and subject thereto’

*unpublished works

http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=13179)

I also note that John Rateliff, in his 2 volume 'History of the Hobbit' states that he used the Alan Lee illustrated de-luxe edition as a reference 'because it pre-dates certain post-authorial changes' - now I don't know if the reason for that comment is simply personal preference or an actual disapproval of such changes, but its interesting that not everyone simply accepts the changes made to the text since Tolkien's death - even the ones authorised by Christopher Tolkien - effectively with his father's approval.

[Mithalwen]

Though since Christopher drew the maps originally it is less contentious... Given the flak he takes I wonder if CRT ever wishes he just made a huge bonfire.....

[davem]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

Though since Christopher drew the maps originally it is less contentious... Given the flak he takes I wonder if CRT ever wishes he just made a huge bonfire.....

I doubt anyone is 100% happy with every decision CT has made in regard to his father's legacy - himself included, probably. I'm grateful he has made the stuff available, but quite honestly I would have preferred to see more works like The Sil & CoH than HoM-e - but that's me. I've said before that if I had my druthers I'd have liked to see The Book of Lost Tales published as a large format hardback, completed by CT or whoever, with lots of illuminated letters & full colour plates (as Tolkien probably imagined it) rather than the collection of bits of stories (more or less complete) & acres of footnotes. But I accept that many fans prefer the version CT produced. There are certainly changes to LotR that I dislike, & which I've mentioned in the Changes thread, like the new Index (which to me, even though it is more 'useful' than the old one, is not part of the book as I first read it) & the little textual alterations ('need not' for 'do not' which irks me so much I have to restrain myself from correcting it in biro every time I pick up a '50th'!).

[Mugwump]

One thing I always remember when watching the movies, etc. is that great myth can be told in slightly different ways. In some versions things happen one way, in some slightly differently, deeds can be done or things said in different ways by different persons in different versions, and because it's myth, none of them is necessarily wrong--they could all be true and "right."