Electronic Tolkien

So, big news today, which I first heard about via Merlin DeTardo's post to the Mythopoeic list (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mythsoc/message/20454). After decades of resistence, the Tolkien Estate has approved the release of JRRT's works in e-format:

http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/News_and_Events/News/Pages/HarperCollins-Launches-Global-Ebook-Programme-for-JRR-Tolkien.aspx

The first three books are already out, as of yesterday: THE HOBBIT, THE LORD OF THE RINGS (either as a single volume, or in three separate volumes), and THE CHILDREN OF HURIN. For example, here's the listing for the e-LotR (Kindle edition) on amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Rings-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B0026REBFK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240346778&sr=8-2

And these are just the first of a long line to follow: everything from the about-to-be-released LEGEND OF SIGURD AND GUDRUN (May 5th) to THE HISTORY OF MIDDLE-EARTH; the Bookseller piece promises that HarperCollins' "entire back catalogue" of Tolkien books will be included:

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/83096-hc-turns-middle-earth-digital-.html *[]


Of course, not having a Kindle or an I-phone (call me a late adapter**), I can't take advantage of these -- not for now, at any rate. What I'd really like is an electronic copy for my laptop -- something I cd search, and paste quotations from with confidence in their accuracy, and generally have in permanent form in a format I'm comfortable with. That doesn't seem to be available for the present, but I live in hope.

I'd be happy to hear from anyone who's gotten the new e-texts about how how you'd rate them; more information v. much welcome.

--John R.



*[thanks to Jessica for the link]

**[I had thought of quoting Pope's "Be not the first by whom the new is tried/Nor yet the last to lay the old aside", but then thought the latter does pretty well describe me. My wife suggests that "late adapter, with procrastination tendencies" is near the mark.]]



UPDATE (W.4/22-09):
Thanks to Lisa Harrigan's follow-up post on the Mythsoc list, here's the link to the US press release about multiple venues through which the book is available over here

http://harpercollins.com/author/microsite/news.aspx?authorid=11538&newsid=5708#5708