Thank you very much Gildor for this interesting link.
I do sympathize with C. Tolkien, but when JRR sold the rights, even though the books were becoming profitable, he knew he was giving up control. His “other hands” statement attests to this, and so does his desire that readers “fill in the blanks.” I think (perhaps I am wrong) that JRR Tolkien would not have been displeased at all by the incredible unleashing of imagination and commercial success that followed over these years. I have never spoken to any family members, like others here may have, but I suspect that Christopher Tolkien wanted to take this work for his own and control to his own standards how it was presented to the public. Christopher as a young man felt that he contributed to its creation (mentioning JRR asking advice in letters) and ironically, he even admits to his own poetic license in publishing the Silmarillion.
It is really too bad, in my opinion, that Tolkien Estates and Tolkien Enterprises (now MEE) could not work together, as those who owned the rights surely were willing to, at least to a degree. Perhaps the end result still wouldn’t have been to Christopher’s satisfaction, but some influence would have been better than none. Perhaps Adam Tolkien will have a different perspective in the future.
😮
