Posted by Lyn on January 13, 2006 at 02:42:56 from 207.200.116.6 user LynMellone.
Hi! A newbie here . . . and I'll frankly admit that I've come only to ask if some knowledgeable TARS Ransome lovers might know the answer to a question I've been interested in ever since reading about Tolkien's children enjoying Ransome books.
In the book of Tolkien's Letters, #20 includes a postscript to Tolkien's publisher listing changes Tolkien wanted made in The Hobbit in response to a letter from Arthur Ransome (I've recently been told this is Letter #17 in Signalling From Mars). Then, in notes about Tolkien's letter in the back of the book, the following comment appears: "Arthur Ransome['s]... books were much admired by Tolkien's children...."
I would surmise, according to the dates given (both letters having been written in December of 1937) that it is likely to be the Swallows and Amazons series that the Tolkien children admired, but has anyone read or heard anything that would confirm or correct my assumption? Do you know if Tolkien ever answered Ransome?
I would appreciate any information or direction you can offer!
P.S. I apologize if I'm asking you all to repeat a previous discussion. Please feel free to point me there with a keyword if such exists. I really did try to search the TarBoard first to avoid a duplication.