I thought you might like to read the notes yourself! Thanks to hyakuhei and Clay for mailing in.
… “In response to the Potter advertisement, I would just like to say that my local Waldenbooks and Hastings have a similar set up. Waldenbooks’ display even has a sign that says, ‘If you like Harry Potter, try J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings!'”
… “Yup. Sales are on the rise. Which is more than a little gratifying to those of us here at Houghton Mifflin. Tolkien sales generally have doubled over the last two years, with this year-to-date versus last year-to-date showing extremely healthy growth as well. Though press time for reprints is especially difficult to secure in the U.S. at the moment with printing plants around the country operating at 100% of their capacity, we’ve managed to stay ahead of demand in almost all cases. But we did just recently encounter a two-week delay on a substantial reprint of the one-volume paperback edition of The Lord of the Rings (could it be Potter wizardry afoot AGAIN?). Not to worry though… we’re back in stock already.”
… “Hate to bother you twice in the same night, but as I was searching all things Tolkien at Amazon.com (looking in vain for some out-of-print editions) I noticed that there are several books scheduled for an October 2000 release. Most are new editions of the History of Middle-earth, but I noticed at least one book, a $50 paperback entitled ‘The End of the Third Age’, that I’ve never noticed…”
