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Originally Posted by Bęthberry
However, the very nature of the closeness between father and son makes me at least hesitate to accept unconditionally texts from CT's hands or even from the Tolkien Estate.
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Carpenter states in his introduction that the choice on inclusion was his not CT's. Since he was given access to the love letters I think he clearly had pretty good access.....
Michael Palin is broadcasting his diaries at the moment and notes ruefully that many things that became significant were not recorded. Why should it be different for Tolkien. These things may not exist . A lot of the letters that were published hardly show Tolkien as "untarnished". Often he is grumpy, peevish, at times mysogynistic and intolerant. To think that there is a lot of interesting stuff withheld is to me is the stuff of conspiracy theories. I have vast quantities of letters written to me by my parents (albeit not famous in any sphere) and I treasure them but is there anything interesting in them? No... not even to me. I do co-own a letter from a world famous person (Florence Nightingale) and there isn't anything much interesting in that either... though I will probably pass it to her archive someday. Do I want to read every letter Tolkien wrote ... no... and just imagine how CT would be accused of cashing in if he published his parents loveletters for the delectation of the prurient...
Even I accepted the hypothesis that there was some supressed stash, I would still allow the family the right to with hold it. I don't think we have the right to know everything. I actually felt intrusive going to the grave though I found the experience moving. Diaries are not blogs ... does fame mean you and your family have to lose all privacy?
Tolkien may not have liked Sayers' Gaudy Night but I am sure he would not have argued with it's tale of the evil of surpressing document. Christopher Tolkien is a scholar as well as a son - maybe not in his father's league but a professional scholar nevertheless. Making "significant" changes to the Silmarillion do not de facto destroy his integrity.
Given that he has spent so long making so much available and still gets regarded as untrustworthy, I wouldn't blame him for not releasing more. In fact if it were me.....
