Tolkien's Gown

Book excerpt: Based on the popular BBC Radio 4 series Rare Books, Rare People, Tolkien's Gown? and Other Stories of Great Authors and Rare Books? is a feast of the tales behind some of the most iconic titles to have graced British publishing, and fascinating anecdotes about the authors who wrote them. From Grahame Greene arranging a meeting in his hotel room to sell a signed copy of ?Lolita? for #4,000 to the author of this book, Rick Gekoski, over a glass or ten of vodka. He resold the book in his hungover stat the next day to Elton John's lyricist Bernie Taupin and in later years it went on to fetch $264,000 at auction in Christies to J.D. Salinger threatening a law suit, this is a gem of a book. There are stories about Talkien, Potter Orwell, Larkin, Hemingway and more, representing a treasure trove of trivia for book fans.