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Now
a major motion picture
A
great modern classic and the prelude to THE LORD OF THE RINGS
Bilbo
Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely
traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is
disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his
doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot
to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very
dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his
journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a
frightening creature known as Gollum.
“A
glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and seasoned
with a quiet humor that is irresistible . . . All those, young or old, who love
a fine adventurous tale, beautifully told, will take The Hobbit to their
hearts.” – New York Times Book Review.
The
Hobbit, or There and Back Again, is a fantasy novel and children's book by
English author J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide
critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize
from the New York Herald Tribune for best juvenile fiction. The book remains
popular and is recognized as a classic in children's literature.
Set
in a time "Between the Dawn of Færie and the Dominion of Men", The
Hobbit follows the quest of home-loving hobbit Bilbo Baggins to win a share of
the treasure guarded by the dragon, Smaug. Bilbo's journey takes him from
light-hearted, rural surroundings into more sinister territory.
The story is
told in the form of an episodic quest, and most chapters introduce a specific
creature, or type of creature, of Tolkien's Wilderland. By accepting the
disreputable, romantic, fey and adventurous side of his nature and applying his
wits and common sense, Bilbo gains a new level of maturity, competence and
wisdom.
The story reaches its climax in the Battle of Five Armies, where
many of the characters and creatures from earlier chapters re-emerge to engage
in conflict.
Personal
growth and forms of heroism are central themes of the story. Along with motifs
of warfare, these themes have led critics to view Tolkien's own experiences
during World War I as instrumental in shaping the story. The author's scholarly
knowledge of Germanic philology and interest in fairy tales are often noted as
influences.
Encouraged
by the book's critical and financial success, the publisher requested a sequel.
As Tolkien's work on the successor The Lord of the Rings progressed, he made
retrospective accommodations for it in The Hobbit. These few but significant
changes were integrated into the second edition. Further editions followed with
minor emendations, including those reflecting Tolkien's changing concept of the
world into which Bilbo stumbled. The work has never been out of print. Its ongoing
legacy encompasses many adaptations for stage, screen, radio, board games and
video games. Several of these adaptations have received critical recognition on
their own merits.
Customer
Reviews:
J.R.R
Tolkien's The Hobbit is one of the best book of the lord of the rings saga.
Reader KR
The
story itself is simply wonderful, Tolkien does such a wonderful job creating
his world and characters you feel as if you are there with them.
Crazyhorse
I
like the book, it is easy to read and makes you feel that you are part of the
story.
jujamsamsu
Most Helpful
Customer Reviews:
The Hobbit Jemima
Catlin
By Cory W. Yates on October 1, 2013
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
I just
wanted to take the time to update anyone who is interested in purchasing this
illustrated edition of The Hobbit. As you probably know, there aren't many
illustrated editions of the hobbit and most that are illustrated aren't all
that incredible. So far, my favorite edition has been the one by Alan Lee. I
must say, it's hard to top his work. Alan Lee really helped bring the story to
life for me when I first read this incredible adventure by Tolkien.
However,
because I believe that The Hobbit is a tale directed at the hearts of children
and adults that are young at heart, I believe that Jemima Catlin's illustrated
edition has topped even the great Alan Lee's. First off, the quality of this
book is excellent. The book has been wrapped in cloth so the book feels high
quality and soft to the touch. Also, the cover has a beautiful illustration
from the book that includes carefully placed gold etching on the leaves, title,
and author's name. This really gives the book a nice luster and shine.
The book
doesn't come with a book jacket and honestly I think that was smart based off
of how high quality the book feels and looks. It just doesn't need a cheap
paper jacket to cover such a beautiful looking book.
The
illustrations that are presented in the book are a thing of beauty. Not only
are there a great many (every two or three pages or so) but they are incredibly
colorful and really pop when you look at them. I do think the illustrator's
style is to appear more colorful and simple at first glance, but at the same
time you will look at the illustrations carefully and see the amount of time
and effort that she put into this work. I love this style of simplicity and use
of color.
Though not the exact same style, I feel like it reminds me of
illustrators like William Steig who just have this incredible knack for
bringing out amazing details with small illustrations. In fact, I truly and
desperately hope that Jemima Catlin will be commissioned for Lord of the Rings.
If you happen to read this Jemima, I just wanted to say thanks for putting so
much passion and hard work into this book.
I look forward to reading this to my
children someday and plan on using your version when I do! As a side note, I
should mention that some of Tolkien's original maps are included in the front
and back of the book.
Lastly, it
wouldn't be an appropriate review of The Hobbit without mentioning how amazing
this story really is. If there is any part of you that believes in things like
magic, risk-taking, adventure, friendship to the end, finding faith in the
smallest of people or things, and good triumphing over evil, this is the book
for you. I fell in love with the characters of this story and am thankful for
authors like J.R.R Tolkien for having that God-given ability to captivate
readers through these characters and the adventures they set out on.
Every time
I read this book I feel like I'm a kid again and that in itself is a great
thing in my eyes. However, as an adult this book not only brings about those
childhood feelings, but also strengthens my personal faith, and leads me to
believe that those who truly live life to the fullest are those who go against
the flow, take risks despite the fears or consequences when they know that it's
in the name of doing what they feel is right inside of there hearts. I think
there really is some of Bilbo Baggins in all of us and we learn a great deal
from his adventure.
If you
cannot tell, I love this book. It is saying a lot for me that this is my
favorite edition of the book so far. This truly is a high-quality, gift edition
that you will be very proud to own. Don't hesitate to purchase! Thank you J.R.R
Tolkien and Jemima Catlin!
Magical memories
By Steph on October 31, 2000
Format: Paperback
My father
introduced the late great Mr J.R.R. Tolkien to me when I was 8 years old, at a
time when I had an insatiable appetite for literature of all kinds. From one
night to the next I used to long to hear of events that - somehow - had been
happening during my daily absence.
"The
Hobbit" only added to my impatience. The animated tones of my father's
voice as he described Bilbo Baggins's journey into the middle earth, created
images of green mist, rugged mountains and dark woods that only a childs mind
can see so vividly. Yet I can remember the look on my father's face as he
turned every page to rejoin the adventure. And I realised that this book - this
fantasy land - had captured my father’s imagination as it had mine.
For years
after my father read me "The Hobbit", I longed to recapture the feelings
that I first encountered in Bilbo's adventure - to learn more about Gandalf,
and conjure up further images of dark, mysterious scenery. But maybe that time
was too special. Maybe I'm never mean't to find another book with such magical power
because maybe I was lucky to be introduced to one in the first place.
There are a
lot of maybes in life - questions that go along unanswered - as there are in
this book...... that's the magic.
In my adult
wisdom . I now know that I'll never truly recapture the feelings that I had as
a little girl. But - when the time arises - I will strive to provide the same
atmosphere in which my children can realise the magic of reading. And "The
Hobbit" is the book that made me realise how important the magic is.
So Mr
Tolkien, wherever you are, I give you 5 stars.... for the thousands that you
have already given me.
Kindle version reformatted
By Maryjane Heyer on April 23, 2011
Format: Kindle Edition
This review
concerns the Kindle edition. I paid $9.99! I would think at that price the
publisher could have somebody edit the e-manuscript! There are numerous
paragraph breaks where there should not be as well as some typoes. This
detracts from the reading experience! Please fix! (the book itself is a fantasy
classic and deserves better treatment than this slipshod editing)
Edit 6/7/11
- looks like they reformatted the kindle version to deal with those errors. I
don't know for sure if they caught them all because I haven't had a chance to
look at it all - even if I had made bookmarks for the errors I wouldn't have
been able to check because downloading the new version means the old bookmarks
get deleted.
The best book ever written published in a
beautiful format
By A Customer on October 24, 1996
Format: Hardcover
Tolkien's
Hobbit takes the imagination on a wonderful flight
of fantasy.
I read this book on a yearly basis and each
year I am
delighted and captivated by the world of Bilbo
Baggins.
Bilbo is a
reluctant member of an adventure that will
forever
change his life and the lives of those around him.
He
accompanies 13 dwarves on a mission to reclaim the gold
and mountain
kingdom of their ancestors from the dragon,
Smaug. They
have many adventures and mishaps on their
journey to
the lonely mountain including the climactic battle of
five armies.
Bilbo finds a magic ring along the way which
leads, not
only to a rise in his stature, but also to a new
adventure
for his friends in "The Lord of the Rings."
Tolkien is a
master storyteller and the depth of his skill
is best seen
in this tale. In the following trilogy, "The
Lord of the
Rings" the story is continued, but the sheer
delight of
"The Hobbit" is never fully recaptured.
This
collector's edition is beautifully bound. Even more
enjoyable
are the illustrations and paintings by the author
himself.
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