# Lord Of The Rings - 50 Year Anniversary Edition by Houghton Mifflin **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 14, 2013, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-rings-50-year-anniversary-edition-by-houghton-mifflin/676327 "2013-12-14T21:39:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sweepkick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@sweepkick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweepkick)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2013, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-rings-50-year-anniversary-edition-by-houghton-mifflin/676327/1 "2013-12-14T21:39:57Z")
Hi Folks, [http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/721a/?srp=10](http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/721a/?srp=10) I’m wondering if anyone owns this version of LOTR and can speak as to the quality of the book (binding, page quality, etc)? I’m looking at giving this as a gift for an 11 year old, but I don’t want to give it if it’s going to fall apart after a couple of readings. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-rings-50-year-anniversary-edition-by-houghton-mifflin/676327/2 "2013-12-15T02:40:51Z")
I’ve got a similar copy of The Hobbit and “The Red Book” (LOTR in red leather instead of the blue in your link) and they’re over 30 years old and have held up fine. Both done by Houghton Mifflin. They’ve been read dozens of times each. ---
**Author:** ![Caveat\_lector\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@Caveat\_lector\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caveat_lector_1)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-rings-50-year-anniversary-edition-by-houghton-mifflin/676327/3 "2013-12-15T03:22:37Z")
I have it and find it to be okay. Pages are glued and not sewn in and I had to return the first copies of it because pages were falling out. The foldout map inside the first page of mine was cut poorly and tears unless you are extremely careful when unfolding. One thing to keep in mind is it is big. It sometimes makes comfortable reading difficult. I tend to keep it as a display piece and read my paperback copies. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-rings-50-year-anniversary-edition-by-houghton-mifflin/676327/4 "2013-12-15T04:56:42Z")
I agree with lector - if this is a present for an 11-year-old, it might be better to go with a different edition. That one is awfully pretty, but it’s heavy and awkward and oversized, with a monster of a spine. If you’re wanting him to fall in love with them and read them over and over and over again, I’d suggest the three-volume hardcover edition from HM/Harcourt, originally from 1988, and redone in the 2000s due to the (then upcoming) Peter Jackson LOTR movies. Here are the ISBNS and Amazon links to them just for purposes of illustration - they’re easy to find elsewhere once you have the ISBN numbers for them. You can also still find the three together as a box-set, but those are a LOT more pricey now, especially if you’re getting “new” copies that are still shrinkwrapped. [Fellowship: 978-0395489314](http://www.amazon.com/The-Fellowship-Ring-Being-First/dp/0395489318/ref=pd_sim_b_2) [Two Towers: 978-0395489338](http://www.amazon.com/The-Two-Towers-Being-Second/dp/0395489334/ref=pd_sim_b_1) [Return of the King: 978-0395489307](http://www.amazon.com/The-Return-King-Being-theThird/dp/039548930X/ref=pd_sim_b_1) They’re very pretty, still pretty hefty, but much better for toting around the house or reading in bed. I can’t remember if my set is sewn or glued, but I’m betting glued (I’m lazy and not going to get up to check). They’ve all held up beautifully in the 10 or so years I’ve had them, and they’re quite nice to look at, but not so “precious” that I hesitate to take them down and read them. ---
**Author:** ![sweepkick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@sweepkick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweepkick)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-rings-50-year-anniversary-edition-by-houghton-mifflin/676327/5 "2013-12-15T19:12:13Z")
Thanks everyone for the info. I went with the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt box set. ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-rings-50-year-anniversary-edition-by-houghton-mifflin/676327/6 "2013-12-15T19:19:01Z")
I wasn’t aware of this edition. Many years ago I stayed with a bunch of hippy types, I had gone to see “Don’t Look Back” and needed a place to crash. They had the most beautiful edition I have ever seen. Very fine beautifully printed paper, black leather bound with gold threading and text on all three volumes and in a black leather covered box. To say I was impressed would be a huge understatement and I have kicked myself ever since for not buying a copy while I could have - it was surprisingly cheap at the time. My brother in law is a bookseller and antiquarian and occasionally gets hold of a copy but they are generally very sorry looking examples and cost a small fortune. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2013, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-rings-50-year-anniversary-edition-by-houghton-mifflin/676327/7 "2013-12-15T23:11:01Z")
That sounds like the edition I first read back in around 1970! I borrowed it from a friend of my elder brother and used to take it to school and read it very carefully between classes! Beautiful edition.