2003 In de ban van de ring (Jan Meng)

The Lord of the Rings

Release Date: 2006.05.15 – 10.10
Reader: Jan Meng
Language: Dutch
Translators: Max Schuchart 
Organization: Rubinstein Media
Copyright: © 2003 Uitgeverij Rubinstein
ISBN: See below
Duration: 56 hours 32 minutes
Unabridged: Yes
Country: Netherlands
Licenced: Yes
Formats: CD, MP3-CD, Digital

Jan Meng (born 1946) is often called the “Voice of the Netherlands” when it comes to classic literature and is said to have a clear, and unforced narration, letting the prose speak for itself.

The title comes from the Dutch translation of The Lord of the Rings by Max Schuchart which in fact was the first ever translation of Tolkien’s work. He translated the title as In de Ban van de Ring, which in English is “under the spell of the ring” or “obsessed by the ring“. Tolkien, in a letter to Rayner Unwin, 3 July 1956 regarding the Hobbit, had complained, “I object as strongly as is possible to the ‘translation’ of the nomenclature at all” however it is not known what he thought specifically of this title. Subsequent translations have maintained it, presumably for reasons of recognition.

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