The enchanting prequel to the lord of the rings, the hobbit is the classic fantasy that inspired peter jacksons major motion picture trilogy when thorin oakenshield and his band of dwarves embark upon a dangerous quest to reclaim the hoard of gold stolen from them by the evil dragon smaug, gandalf the wizard suggests an unlikely accomplice. The hobbit gift edition includes a preface excerpted from christopher tolkiens foreword to the 50th anniversary edition of the hobbit. The hobbit is the prequel to the lord of the rings series written by j. Bilbo baggins enjoys a quiet and contented life, with no desire to travel far from the comforts of home.
Tolkiens own children, the hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when it was first published in 1937. Bilbo baggins and his adventures to there and back again. The hobbit questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on the hobbit. The hobbit, or, there and back again introduction shmoop. Editions of the hobbit, or there and back again by j. Tolkien the hobbit, or there and back again is a fantasy novel by english author j. In 1991, one of the first printings done by harpercollins the current uk publisher of the hobbit featured the sun and rune borders in a gilt finish more recently, in 2012, houghton mifflin harcourt the book s us publisher released a 75th anniversary edition that pays homage to the original cover art, but with golden mountains and a red sun on a black base. It does have a sequel, the lord of the rings,which is one book divided into three volumesbut the stories occur many years. This fourvolume, deluxe paperback boxed set contains j. The hobbit or there and back again is a fantasy novel written by j. R tolkien that takes place in the fictional world of middle earth, which is the setting of most of the authors works. So begins one of the most beloved and delightful tales in the english language. The book presents more than 150 of lees celebrated illustrations to show how his imagery for both the.
The hobbit, or there and back again is a childrens fantasy novel by english author j. Very first edition of the hobbit, the desire for every serious tolkien collector. Many stories and storyfragment of his middleearth mythology were published posthumously. Although he is changing quickly, bilbo is still enough of a hobbit to notice his hunger. The humans of lake town and the elves of mirkwood march to the lonely mountain to seek a share of the treasure as compensation for their losses and aid, but thorin greedily refuses, and the humans and elves besiege the mountain, trapping the dwarves and the hobbit inside. If you care for journeys there and back, out of the comfortable. The hobbit simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. John ronald reuel tolkien the hobbit, or there and back again. Tolkien wrote it in the 1930s for his children as a bedtime story. 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. If you care for journeys there and back, out of the comfortable western world, over the edge of the wild, and home again. Tolkiens epic masterworks the hobbit and the three volumes of the lord of the rings the fellowship of the ring, the two towers, and the return of the king.
Sure, the hobbit did pretty well as a childrens book when it was published, as did lord of the rings when it came out in 1954. They stay with beorn over yuletide and return to elrond in the spring. I first read it when i was young enough to be scared of trolls and goblins not to mention evil dragons. The story takes place before the lord of the rings the plot is about the hobbit a small race of people invented by tolkien bilbo baggins who goes on an adventurous quest with a group of dwarves and the. The hobbit or there and back again is the first story of middleearth that was ever read by the masses. A good case can be made that the hobbit is a better and more satisfying read than its gargantuan successor, the lord of the rings. The hobbit, or there and back again an unexpected party 3 chapter i an unexpected party in a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. T his book has got to be one of the greatest books i have ever read. In the hobbit, bilbo baggins is whisked away from his comfortable, unambitious life in hobbiton by the wizard gandalf and a company of dwarves. The hobbit cliffsnotes study guides book summaries.
Soon bilbo was drawn into their quest, facing evil orcs, savage wolves, giant spiders, and worse unknown dangers. Now recognized as a timeless classic, this introduction to the hobbit bilbo baggins, the wizard gandalf, gollum, and the spectacular world of middleearth recounts of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and. The hobbit, or there and back again, is a book written by j. I went back and looked at the description, it does not mention anywhere in the description that this is the abridged version.
And to this day it remains a beloved favorite due to tolkiens exceptional writing, realistic and lovable characters, and the fantastic, complicated world with its unlikely hero. The hobbit, or there and back again is written as the memoirs of bilbo baggins, the hobbit of bag end. Since the publication of the hobbit in 1937, critical readers have argued over whether the book is a fantasy, a fairy tale, a fable, a romance, an epic, or a novel. In the climax of the book, when the hero despairs at the greed and collapse of diplomacy that. It was published on 21 september 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the carnegie medal and awarded a. Tolkien had poems published as far back as 1911, but his first novel was the hobbit, or there and back again and was published in 1937. The hobbit didnt start out as one of the most important fantasy novels of all time. It was published on 21 september 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being. This deluxe collectors edition of tolkiens modern classic is boxed and bound in green leatherette with gold and red foil rune stamping on the spine and cover. Bilbo sneaks out to join the humans in an attempt to bring peace. Like bilbos inadvertent passage through the misty mountains, the stony slide is an unexpected step forward on their journey, a lucky accident. Story time just got better with prime book box, a subscription that delivers editorially handpicked childrens books every 1, 2, or 3 months at 40% off list price. The film was actionpacked and satisfactory but it could not live up to the.
There are certain scenes from it that will remain ingrained on my brain for life and others that i cant really recall at all. The hobbit is one of my favorite books and the illustrations, whether big or small, add even more character and charm to the story. Set in the imaginary world of middleearth, at once a classic myth and a modern fairy tale, the hobbit is one of literatures most enduring and wellloved novels. The hobbit middleearth universe the timeless classic presented in the standard hardcover edition using the authors original jacket design. Tolkiens famous saga, the prelude to the lord of the rings, has all the ingredients of fantasy and adventure. The book remains popular and is recognized as a classic in childrens literature.
Tolkien, 9780261102217, available at book depository with free delivery. The book was first published on september 21, 1937 and is set in the years 2941 to 2942 of the third age before the events of the lord of the rings. Abridged is written in tiny print along the thumbnail of the title. The film was action packed and satisfactory but it could not live up to the. The hobbit, or there and back again, better known as the hobbit, is the first of j. But the wizard gandalf came along with a band of homeless dwarves. When bilbo arrives home, he finds that his house and its contents are being auctioned, because he is presumed dead. It includes five full page illustrations in full color and many more in two color in addition to thrors map all prepared by the author. The hobbit the timeless classic presented in the standard hardcover edition using the authors original. Classifying the book is one way of explaining its strengths and weaknesses and understanding the immense appeal it has held for many decades. The text pages are printed in black with green accents. The hobbit tells a fantastic story of adventure, danger, friendship, and courage, and serves as a prequel to the even more immersive and epic book series, the lord of the rings. The hobbit is a rather short book to begin with, it didnt really need an abridged copy. While the lord of the rings was targeted at a much older audience, i think that the hobbit appeals more to younger people.
Initially intended as a standalone story for children, it was later. The hobbit, or there and back again is a fantasy novel by english author j. I feel like audible should clearly mark abridged vs unabridged. Already made a dozen of versions of this book and now i believe this is the final one. Buy a cheap copy of the hobbit, or there and back again book by j. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down. It doesnt come with a dust jacket, the picture on the front and back cover is expertly presseddyed onto what feels like a clothlike covering on the book. Series page for the hobbit published in volumes the hobbit, part one, the hobbit, part 2 of 2, and the hobbit, or there and back again.
Tolkiens classic the hobbit still has to offer, 80 years after its publication. Bilbo baggins was a hobbit who wanted to be left alone in quiet comfort. Which gets us back to the hobbit as a steppingstone for all of this great stuff. The lord of the rings sketchbook alan lee, the oscarwinning conceptual designer for the lord of the rings movie trilogy, discusses his approach to depicting tolkiens imaginary world. It was published on 21 september 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the. It grew into the role over the course of about 25 years. It follows the adventures of bilbo baggins, a hobbit who embarks on an incredible journey. It was published on 21 september 1937 to wide critical. This novel details the adventure of bilbo baggins as he assists a group of dwarves on a quest to reclaim their treasure from a dragon named smaug. The hobbit is the unforgettable story of bilbo, a peaceloving hobbit, who embarks on a strange and magical adventure. Tolkiens novels and some of his other published works in order of publication and chronological order.