I'm not sure I am either, but I like it. Very interestingly minimal. It reminds of the style of some books I had as a kid, but I can't remember the details of who did them (they involved mice, I do remember that).

They were visually interesting - but trying to connect the images to actual scenes in the books was kinda brain-melty.

They were visually interesting - but trying to connect the images to actual scenes in the books was kinda brain-melty.

As opposed to the lysergic covers from the late 60s when they came out in paperback? That was my first exposure to LOTR and I've never quite lost the cognitive dissonance of those.

Here's a view of the three combined as one image: [link]

I think I still have those volumes. I stole them from my oldest sister.

Thankfully I first read them in the Ballantine Special Silver Jubilee Edition from the early 80s: [link]

Here's a view of the three combined as one image: [link]

Oh, I remember those covers. I think they were like the 3rd set of paperbacks my folks bought. By the time I graduated from high school we had a full set of the LOTR for each member of the family - 9 - in paperback and hardback.

Thankfully I first read them in the Ballantine Special Silver Jubilee Edition from the early 80s:

Yes, those were my first set, too. Lovely covers. Eventually they all got so water-damaged from me reading in the bath that I dredged up "the lysergic covers from the late 60s" at thrift stores as a replacement. This is what I have now [link] though you can't really tell much about the covers, they are mercifully neither movie tie-ins nor mind-bending.

My first set was Ballantine editions Frank referred to. I still have them, but they're decomposing into individual pages. I don't think they quite had the hang of perfect binding thick paperbacks in the '60s, because most of my fatter books from that era are falling apart.

Ginger, I think paperbacks just flat out are not meant to last - my Watership Down (that I stole from my brother) went loose leaf after about 10 years, and I'm pretty sure that the spines of more than one volume of Wheel of Time cracked open. I've got c. 1985 C.S. Lewis Space Trilogy that have been shedding pages like Sammie sheds her winter coat since the 90s.

This is the Hobbit I had growing up: [link] I liked those covers.

I found these at a library book sale, which is sort of Lord of the Rings as Harlequin romance: [link] I bought them because my fancy boxed all-in-one hardcover, while gorgeous, is rather unwieldy: [link]

Incredibly, I found the Hobbit boxed hardcover in perfect condition at a street stand in NY: [link]

This is the Hobbit I had growing up

Tolkien's own art, I believe.