Letter 143a

The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
Letter 143a
Recipient	Allen & Unwin
Date	16 March 1954
Subject(s)	The Lord of the Rings, General Map of Middle-earth

Letter 143a is a letter written by J.R.R. Tolkien and published in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien: Revised and Expanded edition.

Summary

In a letter to his publisher Allen & Unwin, Tolkien informs them that he has sent the proof of the "General Map" along with a drawing for the smaller map "Part of the Shire", which were created by his son Christopher. He explains that the smaller map is drawn at twice the scale of the book's available space, aiming for clarity and economy in its entries, and hopes it will remain legible when reduced.

Tolkien expresses a lack of inspiration and time to design a jacket for the book but hopes to provide a basic idea soon for a skilled artist to develop. He concludes by expressing his desire that the publication of Volume I will not be delayed any further.