The Hobbit Books

This is the book that began it all. Everyone who likes the whole goblins, wizard and dragon deal, then you should read this book. The Hobbit is published by Ballantine Books and can be found at most book stores. The author is the very famous and honored J.R.R. Tolkien. It is an excellent read for anybody who's looking to read a book of adventure and magic.
Follow the mystical journey that Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit, travels on in the book. Bilbo, 13 brave, heavily bearded, and stout dwarves accompanied by a wizard named Gandalf, barely escape many dangers along their journey. They fight every kind of middle earth creature that comes to ones mind. There's goblins, wargs (which are special wolves), trolls, dragons, elves, giant spiders, monstrous eagles, and a fiendish creature named Gollum.
Along the journey they face such dangers as goblin caves, which is one of the most exciting parts, giant spiders that try to eat 12 out of 13 of the dwarves, and a terrifying dragon of the name of Smaug. They also face many other dangers along there journey. Many of the events may seem a bit confusing, but stick with it and the book will be a pleasure to read.
Bilbo is a very key part of the story and is the most eccentric of all the characters. Though Bilbo non-willingly set forth into the journey, he proved himself as a worthy character to the plot of the story. During the story, Bilbo holds back the group, but later in the story he actually leads the group to save there lives on multiple occasions. Bilbo's character is one of trickery and of knowledge, and he puts it to good use throughout the story.
The characters are seeking revenge for their ancestors that were brutally slaughtered by the dragon Smaug. They also desire the massive riches that the dragon protects. With the armor that the dragon possesses, they will have a terrible time defeating him.
Follow the magic that J.R.R. Tolkien has written and experience it for the first time. With the dangers that the motley crew face in front of them, will they be able to survive long enough for help to arrive, or will they perish within the fiery depths of the dragon's belly.

JRR Tolken's The Hobbit recreated what people thought about fantasy stories. It isn't some mother goose fairy tail with happy little elves, and the bad guy inst some pirate with a curly mustache and a hook. The Hobbit is a classic story worth remembrance, full of action, and an adventure of a lifetime!

Bilbo Baggins (The Baggins never had any adventures or did any thing unexpected) woke up just like an ordinary day, got dressed made some tea and was just about to go for a walk. But adventure caught up with him and a wizard Gandalf pulled him into the unexpected!

Bilbo, Gandalf, Thorin, and 12 other dwarfs go to search for the dragon Smauge and the most treasure all in one place in Middle Earth. And the most evil of the entire world in there journeys, from Trolls to Spiders and even Elves.

And the biggest confrontation awaits in the Mines of Moria, and Bilbo and his companions make it?

This book has been given so many awards I can almost grantee you will like it. If you like dragons, midgets with hairy feet, dwarfs, fighting, black rivers, necromancers, necromancers dark forest place, giant blood sucking spiders, goblins, trolls, fish, wastelands, underground cities, buildings getting burnt down, a crazy green guy that lives in some caves, happy endings, sad endings, wizards, bear people, giant birds, small birds, talking wolfs, burning trees, dancing goblins, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, gold, glory, hobbit holes, I know this is a long list but its almost done, elves, river raft rides, people complaining how hungry they are and last but certainly not least, Hobbits. If you like that whole dump load of stuff you will enjoy this book. But there is way more stuff to read about in this book you just got to pick it up!

I personally liked this book it was a little slow at first but it picks up some speed when they leave. This book was read by millions in the past and millions more in the future. The bottom line just buy this book.

As the new day begins in the quiet home of Bilbo Baggins, a whole world of adventure and excitement wait outside his door. As this hobbit (a small creature, with an uncanny resemblance to human beings) embarks on his journey through impediments and obstacles, the reader is pulled vigorously alongside. The reader encounter creatures of the wildest imaginations and images you never believed possible. The wonderfully talented J.R.R. Tolkien wrote this book with suspense and even a sense of mystery. The audience will not only enjoy the rich and distinctive style, but may even be challenged by the lush vocabulary they will find inside. Overall, this book is very well written and crafted because of the graphic description, vivid vocabulary and realism of the characters.

Highly recomended to KEEP reading all the L.O.T.R. books....most amazing novels ever!

This book is so good I read it 6 times in two months! Wonderfully descriptive and suspenseful. I would recomended it to any person willing to read the book.
Again a superb book.

J. Minyard

When I was young, five or six, my dad used to read parts of this book to me at bedtime. He always started off with, "In a hole, in the ground, there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, with an oozy smell. This was a hobbit hole, and that means 'comfort'." I always loved it that no matter what chapter we were reading, he'd start off that way. I was reading it to my sister with him and we started off that way, too. THE TRADITION LIVES ON!!! Last year, in fourth grade, I read the book without skipping the beginnings of chapters that weren't that important and found out that it was even better than before. This is an amazing story about a hobbit at the age of fifty going on an adventure with thirteen dwarves and a wizard. Bilbo, the hobbit, is taken on a journey to reclaim a lost treasure stolen from the dwarves many years back taken by an evil dragon named Smaug. It takes a lot of courage and wits to get to Smaug and where he lives. The fourteen do it without a ton of help from Gandalf, the wizard. To go on their adventure, and to see what you've been waiting to see, read the great book! For those with an open mind and one for adventure, at that, this is one book you'll surely love. It leads up to the "Lord of the Rings" more great books that I am reading at the moment and am loving as much as "The Hobbit".

this is greate book , not only becouse it was the knock off of the classic lord of the rings trilogy and all other story and legends regarding middle earth. but the story to this book was terrific. i must admit it starts off a little slow when it first intoduces mr baggins, but the story will pick up i promis you.
its hard for me to detail to you how greate it is without giving away the story but its just a never ending journy even for those do not have intrest in midth or legend books. this is a easy to read story about an adventure that all will find entertaining.
not that its at a flat pase or anything but its easy to read due to that its told from third person point of veiw so well, its almost like being told the story in person.
id recommend it to all ages.

I remember when I was seven, I was in bed one evening. My dad brought me this book to read."What is it about?" I ask."A hobbit," he says."What is a hobbit?" I reply. If I was a few years older it would have been 'what the bloody hell is a hobbit?'My first thought was a small creature with furry feet sounded dumb and boring.I was wrong.

"The Hobbit or There and Back Again" is the first story of Middle-Earth that was ever read by the masses. And to this day it remains a beloved favorite due to Tolkien's exceptional writing, realistic and lovable characters, and the fantastic, complicated world with its unlikely hero: a fuzzy-footed hobbit.

Bilbo Baggins lives a pleasantly stodgy and dull life in the Shire, in a luxurious hole under a hill. ("It was a hobbit hole, and that means comfort") But his life is completely turned upside-down by the arrival of the wizard Gandalf and thirteen dwarves. The dwarves, led by the exiled king-in-waiting Thorin Oakenshield, want to regain the Lonely Mountain (and a lot of treasure) from the dragon Smaug, who drove out the dwarves long ago. Why do they want Bilbo? Because Gandalf has told them that he'd make a good burglar (even though Bilbo has never burgled in his life).

So before Bilbo is entirely sure what is going on, he is being swept off on a very unrespectable -- and dangerous -- adventure. Bilbo and the Dwarves battle goblins and spiders, are nearly eaten twice, are captured and Bilbo is forced to riddle with the treacherous, withered Gollum, and ends up escaping with a magical Ring. But even after these obstacles, the dragon Smaug is still in the Lonely Mountain, and Bilbo is not entirely sure what to do to deal with this enemy.

Author J.R.R. Tolkien had been crafting his mythos of Elves, Dwarves, Wizards and Men for years before writing "The Hobbit," but "The Hobbit" is the first story that people had the opportunity to read. It began as a line scrawled on a sheet of blank paper, and then into a bedtime story for his children. And even though it's overshadowed by "Lord of the Rings" and "Silmarillion," this book is an essential link. It's definitely sillier and lighter, but it provides the springboard for a lot of the stuff in "Lord of the Rings" -- especially the magical Ring that Bilbo finds in Gollum's cavern.

The concept of hobbits started in this book -- the quintessential peaceful "wee" people, based on British countryfolk, with simple pleasures and unexpected depths of strength and resourcefulness. And, of course, fuzz on their large feet. Tolkien's Elves are a little more ethereal and less dignified, and his dwarves are a bit more comical and less grim. But Elrond hints at the full majesty of the Elves, and Thorin Oakenshield is still the most dignified, proud and impressively flawed dwarf there is. The last chapters of the book hint at the epic majesty of "Lord of the Rings," and some of the same victory/loss themes. And of course, the idea that even little people -- like a hobbit or a bird -- can change the world.

Tolkien's writing is quick and light, while providing sufficient detail to let you picture what's going on. The dialogue is less influenced by Old English, and the pace is a lot faster (not surprising, since it was originally read to his kids before bedtime). Bilbo is a likable little guy -- he seems to be the last person whom you'd expect to be a courageous hero, but he shows incredibly strength and smarts when he's under pressure. Supporting characters like Thorin, Bard the Guardsman-turned-King, the king of the wood-elves, and even Smaug himself are never cookie-cutter, but multidimensional and immensely interesting to read about.

"The Hobbit" was written for children, but adults can appreciate and enjoy it just as much. So read this book, then scoop up "The Fellowship of the Ring" and continue reading. A timeless treasure and classic.

The Hobbit is probably Tolkien's most famous work after The Lord of the Rings, and for a good reason: it's an amazing book! I became an extremely devoted fan of all of Tokien's works after seeing The Lord of the Rings films, and they really opened up the richness of Tolkien's world for me. I read The Hobbit, believe it or not, for the first time only a few months ago but wanted a better looking copy of the book than an old paper back edition I bought second hand that is practically falling apart. I found this edition here and what caught my eye was the front cover and the illustration by David Wyatt. I received the book to be only mildly disappointed because the actual book cover looks a little different than what the picture shows here. However, the book still has David Wyatt's beautiful Smaug illustration, so I'm content. The Hobbit is an amazing book and this is a great edition to have.

The interesting thing about The Hobbit is how close it came to never seeing the light of day. J.R.R. Tolkien's classic children's fantasy book only exists because he was bored while grading his students' papers and accidentally created the mythical creatures known as Hobbits.
But I think The Hobbit in particular came into being because Tolkien loved the old fairy tales and myths and couldn't find any contemporary books like the old ones he enjoyed reading. The Hobbit is such a fun book to read that it's almost sinful to admit it. Treasure-hoarding dragons, greedy song-singing dwarves, a jestful old wizard, and the trickssy Gollum all add up to creating a wonderful classic.
The Hobbit is a throw back to a much older tradition of fantasy stories than what we're used to nowadays. I recommend this book in particular to everyone familiar with The Lord of the Rings, since it will help to fill in the gaps on what happened before the events in that story.

This three volume set gives new insight into the world of The Hobbit. The first book is The Hobbit as you know it and the second two are a annotated copy of J.R.R. Tolkiens' original manuscript. It is extremely interesting to see the work as it evolved. This is a must buy for any Tolkien fan!

This three volume box set is a truly magical compilation. By publishing all of Tolkien's original manuscripts, Rateliff allows Tolkien's devoted fans to see how one of the greatest children's stories ever came into being. In addition, the third volume, a newly updated 70th anniversary volume of The Hobbit, is a welcome part of any collector's library.

Bilbo Baggins just wants to live his quiet, peaceful life in the Shire. And he's doing a mighty fine job of it until the great wizard, Bladorthin, shows up at his door with a gaggle of dwarves. Their leader, Gandalf, tells of the vicious dragon, Pryftan, who overtook their home. Bilbo joins up with them for a grand adventure. Ultimately he saves the day and along the way happens to discover a magical ring.

That is how the story originally took shape.

With THE HISTORY OF THE HOBBIT, author John D. Rateliff pieces together fragments of history in order to present THE HOBBIT as it was originally drafted by J.R.R. Tolkien. With access to the documents at Marquette University, the project was originally undertaken by Taum Santoski, who passed away following a battle with cancer at an all-too-young age. The torch was then passed to Rateliff with the full blessing of Christopher Tolkien.

Some of Tolkien's original papers have been lost to time. Seventy years is quite a period to have anything stashed away. The opening page, featuring the handwritten line "In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit," is one of those long-lost pages, but for the most part, a rather complete version of the initial draft of this book can be pieced together. In essence, THE HOBBIT is a phenomenal read for a number of reasons.

On one level, it gives readers the first look at the origins of legend. This is how Tolkien originally viewed his mythical Middle-earth before it grew into THE LORD OF THE RINGS. These characters bore different names, endured different hardships and took on other roles. Gollum, in the original vision, held to his end of the riddle game and, after losing, shows Bilbo the way out of the mountain. The guardsman Bard, who slays Smaug in the final version, is barely introduced before he is killed.

And this opens up to aspect number two.

As Tolkien begins to make his second pass through the draft, notating and correcting as he goes (in pen over the top of original pencil writings), names begin to change, the story arc and scenes start morphing and readers get to see and understand why those alterations were made. This is a wonderful view for writers to see the mindset of a second draft but also a way for any ordinary reader to understand why things evolved and changed. And in some instances, it gives a greater weight to the final version.

Thirdly, THE HISTORY OF THE HOBBIT is, as the title says, a history. Not just a mere presenting of the manuscript in its rough form, Rateliff has documented the timeframe of the work, giving us the most precise record as to when it was first conceived and when it was completed. His insights into the reasoning behind changes are culled from Tolkien's own notes and letters, and much of what was once believed is corrected. This historical perspective illuminates the book rather than bury it.

The story of THE HOBBIT evolved because the world around Tolkien evolved, not to mention that the author himself underwent changes over the years this work was in creation. Rateliff does an outstanding job of presenting the original draft and its subsequent transformation, including his own discoveries and commentaries along the way. At no point does this ever become a chore to read.

Equal parts fantasy fiction and biographical fact, THE HISTORY OF THE HOBBIT is a true gem of a set. For the first time, the timeline of the creation of this premiere novel is ironed out and separated from myth.

Finally, Tolkien's original vision is presented for the world to see, and the extent of the expansive growth of Middle-earth and its characters is opened up to inspection. Rateliff pulls together loose and seemingly disparate threads and weaves them into a profound tapestry and companion that THE HOBBIT, now in its 70th year, richly deserved.

--- Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard

I have to admit that on my first glance at this, I was expecting disappointment - because, while it followed the format of Christopher Tolkien's ten-volume "History of Middle Earth," it was not BY that esteemed Professor of Anglo-Saxon, and therefore could not be as good. Believe me, I got over it quickly! Rateliff, who repeatedly mentions his debt to the younger Tolkiens, as well as to Tolkien scholars like Tom Shippey, has done a superb job of tracking down how Mr. Baggins started out at his doorstep in the 1930s with a wizard named Bladorthin and a dwarf-king named Gandalf (a dwarf by that name does appear in Sturlasson's "Voluspa," the source of most of Tolkien's dwarf names) and ended up back at Bag End somewhat wiser and richer in the 1960s with a wizard named Gandalf and the memory of a heroic dwarf-king named Thorin.

The history of "The Hobbit" itself is fascinating, the history of how it interwove with the developing mythology of "Lord of the Rings" and the "Silmarillion" even more so. But there are also detached analytical essays scattered throughout, on subjects like the goblins/orcs, Beorn, the Great Eagles and Tolkien's attitude towards spiders, which are unexpected bonuses, as well as the revelation that Gollum originally was not only more well-spoken but somewhat nicer than he later became.

One very minor niggle (unaccompanied by leaf): in his essay on Beorn, Rateliff mentions that the Middle Earth equivalent of Grizzly Adams was of indefinite but probably immense age, and in fact was a "leftover from an older world" -- but then died shortly after Bilbo's adventure, according to LOTR. Rateliff doesn't quite explain this, but the explanation may lie in his suggestion that Beorn's were-bear nature was inflicted on him by a curse, which not only made him turn into a bear under stress but made him effectively immortal, and that this curse was lifted by his heroic actions at the Battle of Five Armies. If the were-bear curse was lifted (presumably by the Valar or by Eru Himself), it seems likely he lost the immortality as a sidebar and then lived out a normal human lifetime.

A reviewer noted that some of the early drafts have been unfortunately lost to history. Rateliff mentions that the thrifty Tolkien saved on paper by writing on unused portions of blue exam booklets. The paper used in such booklets is of fairly minimal quality -- Rateliff pointed out instances in which it has turned brown, making Tolkien's handwritten text even harder to deceipher. It seems likely that some of the earlier papers (including the famous blank page on which he wrote: "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit") may no longer be with us because they literally crumbled away.

Anyway, I strongly recommend Rateliff's set, not only for would-be Tolkien scholars like myself, but for those who simply enjoyed their first expose to Tolkien, be it via reading "The Hobbit" or by seeing Peter Jackson's movie versions, and would like to know more.

This boxed set will be appreciated by any hard-core Tolkien fan. It contains a two-volume set about the History of The Hobbit, and the 2007 edition of the novel. All three books are beautifully designed and bound.

The Hobbit novel is the first American edition to feature Tolkien's color illustrations made for the book, the latest round of typographic corrections, and an introduction by Christopher Tolkien. The endpapers are color reproductions of Thorin's map of the Lonely Mountain, another first for an American edition. And the dust jacket is produced with Tolkien's original design in mind with a red sun and dragon, and pink tint on the mountains, which were removed from the original design due to money concerns.

Fans of The Hobbit have heard for decades now how Tolkien rewrote the book after completion of the Lord of the Rings, in order to bring the two stories in line with each other. Until now, only people lucky enough to find a copy of the British first edition have been able to know how extensive the changes were. The History of the Hobbit not only recreates the original draft of the story, but points out how the story evolved and changed. For example, the ring was, originally, just a magic ring and not the One Ring. In fact, the ruling rings didn't even exist in Tolkien's history of the Middle Earth at the time The Hobbit was first written. The Hobbit wasn't even conceived as a part of the Tolkien universe, but was intended to stand apart and alone. J. R. R. Tolkien changed his mind about that when The Hobbit proved a best seller.

The author gives The Hobbit the same extensive treatment that Christopher Tolkien gave The Lord of the Rings in his History of Middle Earth series. Multiple versions of the novel are given, with extensive annotations, and footnotes to the footnotes. The only drawback to the History is that the author is frequently referring to obscure and out of print books and documents that the majority of readers will not have access to, without reprinting the illustrations or articles referred to. And the double layer of annotations and footnotes are hard to follow. But the History can be enjoyed without digging all the way through the notes.

The book presents a shocker, too. In the 1960's J. R. R. Tolkien set about rewriting The Hobbit in the style of The Lord of the Rings. What survives of this attempt is reprinted for the reader's enlightenment. I won't spoil the surprise by saying anything further.

This set is an excellent gift for any Lord of the Rings or Hobbit fan.

J.R.R. Tolkien's book, The Hobbit, is the exciting beginning to the story of the Lord of the Rings, his greatest work. Even though this book was written about thirty years ago, it is still considered one of the best fantasy books of all time.
This book tells the story of a hobit named Bilbo, who is swept up into an adventure when a wizard, Gandalf, and a group of dwarves show up at his house with a request. The dwarves are going on a journey back to their home in the Misty Mountains that has been taken over by a dragon named Smaug. Bilbo's role in this journey is to steal the gold held in the mountain by the dragon for the dwarves, and in return he would receive a share of the reward.
Along the way, Bilbo discovers a ring with magical powers. This ring is the reason for the conflicts found in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The ring has the power to make whoever is wearing it invisible and have a longer life. This ring gives Bilbo the strength and courage he needs to survive the adventure and help his friends.
This book is a good choice for anyone who has seen and liked the Lord of the Rings movie or enjoys fantasy novels of adventure. The Hobbit gives you a clear beginning to where the Lord of the Rings trilogy starts, but you can understand the trilogy without reading the Hobbit.

the book The Hobbit was vary well writen and was discriptive in the charters and the places in Middle Earth. the imagination that Tolkien put into the book was amizing. the way Tolkien described the charters made it like they were real people and it seemed that the story was history, but only for a moment.

If you're looking for a little background behind Lord of the Rings, this is it. This book introduces the character Gollum and explains how the Ring came to be in The Shire. However, what is enjoyable about this book is its easy readability and there are many injections (in parenthesis) of Tolkien's humour in his narration of the story. Read about the invention of Golf (in a ridiculous way), the riddles between Gollum and Bilbo and the humorous portrayal of Gandalf as an almighty but occasionally vulnerable wizard. There is only one main storyline about Bilbo and the dwarves heading to defy Smaug, the dragon, in order to uncover their lost treasure, but despite this, their journey is interestingly full of ups and downs. Tolkien, once again, proves his immense creativity by placing his characters in absurb and hilarious positions. Even Gandalf, the supposedly dignified wizard, has been reduced to getting cornered high up on a tree or stuffing himself silly on bread, cream and honey. Needless to say, the title "The Hobbit" indicates that the story revolves around Bilbo Baggins and his misadventures.

Simply said, this is one book that wants to make you read on and on. The only flaw is that it's a relatively short story and you'll wish for more. Five stars!

If you enjoy fantasy, you will love this book! This is where the Lord of the Rings begins, and for anybody who is interested in Tolkien's classic trilogy, this is the place to start your enchanted journey. The reader will learn much history about Middle Earth and the creatures and beings that dwell there. And besides that, it is a fast moving tale of courage, loyalty, and perserverance.

The language Tolkien uses will capture your imagination like few other authors are capable of doing. You will fly through this book, wondering what will happen to Bilbo, the dwarves and Gandalf the wizard. Excitement every step of the way! Highly recommended!

I loved this book. I have never been able to read a book very easily because I could never pay attention long enough, but this book really caught my attention the whole time.

To begin with, a wizard visits the hobbit, whose name is Bilbo Baggins. The wizard puts a mark on the hobbit's door and then leaves. Later twelve dwarves visit the hobbit. They hire him as a burglar to help in their quest.

He finally decides to go along, but highly against his own will. They start on the journey and have all sorts of strange happenings that occur. They encounter goblins and are taken into the depths of a very large underground network of tunnels. Here, Bilbo finds a ring that is quite magical. He does not know it yet, but the ring will prove to be a very vital part of their quest.

After the goblins, they meet a man who is both Man and Bear. They manage to ask him for food and lodging for a while, though he does not like strangers. At night, Bilbo hears sounds of scratching and thumping, but does not dare to get up for fear of being eaten by Beorn, who is the Man/Bear. In addition, Beorn's animals have the ability to communicate with him and can do most anything that a regular man can.

The Mirkwood Forest is quite peculiar in itself. The group of twelve dwarves and Bilbo must travel through a forest that is extremely dark. Although it is daytime, the forest is very dimly lit because all the trees form a canopy, which blocks all the light. Near the end of the forest, they become lost. They are forced to battle huge spiders and are eventually captured Wood-elves.

Bilbo slips on his ring in time and is able to follow the elves as they take the dwarves to the cavernous hideout. Each dwarf is questioned to try to find out why he is traveling through the Mirkwood Forest. None will give the answer that the Elf King is looking for, so he throws them all in prison.

While the dwarves are in prison, being quite well fed, Bilbo figures out a means of escape for all of the dwarves and himself. He also has time to learn quite a lot about the inside of the elf cavern. Bilbo gets the chance when a guard and another man go and taste the new wine that has been brought. Both become drunk and fall asleep. Bilbo is able to get all the dwarves out and himself.

After this, they are not far from the dragon's lair. Smaug has taken all of the dwarve's treasure in gold and jewels and is in a cave on the Lonely Mountain. The quest of the small company is to reclaim the treasure that is rightfully the dwarves'. Bilbo faces Smaug and...I cannot tell you what happens, that would ruin it. They also face a war, but you will have to read to find out.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were very well developed and easy to remember. I usually lose track of who is who in a book, but this book was easy to keep track of the characters. The book is actually quite believable if the reader looks past the fact that the characters are dwarves and a hobbit. I was quite lost throughout the book wondering what the characters were actually feeling. I felt this was a very believable story.

I have never been able to sit down and read a book as easily as I did this one. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a good book. It keeps the reader on the edge of his or her seat and has action in almost every page that is read. I recommend this book to anyone, no matter who he or she is. This book is deserving of five stars.

The book the Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is an adventurous, fantasy tale that takes place in the land of the middle earth. However, even with many "nail-biting"/ action sequences, this story reveals tender and moving themes. Courage, trust, and friendship are the three most dominant themes projected in this tale of adventure. On their quest to restore the dwarves wealth and pride; Bilbo, Gandalf, and the 13 Dwarves encounter numerous challenges of both the emotional and physical nature. Bilbo's revelation from a timid, do-gooder hobbit to a daring thief is the most exciting transformation experienced. Though the story seems to take off at a slow pace, Tolkien's descriptions really pull the reader into the action. If you wish to read of battles with goblins, wargs, spiders, trolls, and the occasional dragon, then don't be turned off by what seems like unnecessary detail in the beginning. The Key, However, is to keep reading, it gets better.

By now, anyone reading this text has seen at least one of the Lord of the Rings movies. And fine movies they are, if not for the minor changes to the story. But I digress; there is one part the movie breifly smoothed over, and that is the true beginning of the story, taking place in this particular book. Before Frodo went off with a the One Ring of power to destroy it, Bilbo Baggins had to outsmart Smeagol in order to obtain it. The adventures Bilbo had in this one book indeed are as exciting as any part of the latter ring trilogy, so before you read up on them, concider this a good starting place.

This book would defiantly rank among my top ten favorite books. I had seen the Lord of the Rings movies but had never read the books. I decided to start at the beginning with the Hobbit being the prequel to the Lord of the Rings series. I expected the book to be good however it exceeded my expectations in all areas. I will probably read this book again. I highly suggest this book to anyone.

The Book The Hobbit is a wonderful book for all readers of J.J.R Tolkien and non Tolkien readers alike. The book is filled with adventure, action and every thing else i think people would like to find in a book.
The story begins with a small Shire Hobbit that never did anything much adventureous thing. Yet one day 13 dwarves and a wizard named Gandalf bring him along on a mission to re-take the gold they lost to a dragon who invaded the area.

On the way they run into 3 trolls that captured them but argued so much about to eat them the sun came up and turned them into stone.

Another problem also a blessing was when the groupd decided to spen the night in what they were yet to find out was a goblin infested cave. When Bilbo the Hobbit from the Shire gets lost he finds a disterbing dangile creature which he found a magic ring. The ring he found was a ring of magic and could make him dissapear so he escaped.

(which you will find is the ring of power in Lord of the Rings)

After they regroup and move out they must go through Mirkwood a place of huge spiders and Elves. A froest so big it took them for ever to get through. . . .

Tolkien's main character in, "The Hobbit," is Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo is evidently a hobbit, who is unknowingly volunteered to go on a dangerous adventure with 13 other dwarves. A wizard by the name of Gandalf is the one responsible for volunteering Bilbo. As the 14 journey towards the Lonely Mountains to retrieve their long lost fortune, they are faced with many fantastical obstacles.
The wild adventure leads the 14 dwarves to many creatures and goblins, including one named Gollum. Bilbo wins a gold ring from Gollum, which later on becomes the basis for the series, "Lord of the Rings." What does this ring mean for Bilbo? How does it change his unwanted adventure?

I am not usually a big fan of fantasy type literature, however I enjoyed, "The Hobbit," very much. I waited to see the cartoon version of, "The Hobbit," until after I had finished the book. My sister and friends had always loved Tolkien, and I had never given him the chance. Tolkein did an excellent job of making a very unreal setting, real to the reader. The setting and characters were extremely well described. Tolkien describes every tiny thing, right from the beginning. Even the hobbit's hole, which is not an important part of the story, is described in great detail. An author's ability to suspend disbelief is very important to the pleasure the reader obtains from the book, especially if the reader is already skeptical. There was really not a transition from realistic world into the fantasy world. The Hobbit instead slowly leads the reader into a more fantastical world through the chapters. The adventure and plot of the story really keep the reader interested and not wanting to put the book down. I can now understand why so many people have gone crazy over Tolkien's writing. I plan on reading Tolkien's, "Lord of the Rings," series very soon. I just cannot get over the great detail he puts in his setting and characters as he writes.
I think that the Hobbit would be a difficult read for elementary students. However I think it would be perfect for middle school or high school students. It could be used as an excellent choice to read aloud to students in elementary. I am not sure about parents reaction to Tolkien's writing, but I would love to use some of his work in my own classroom.

One of those things you look at, and think, "Hey, I coulda done that....". The drawings are simple (in a good way), quaint (in a good way). Any other drawings/calendars are interpretations. These are from the brain of the guy who invented Middle Earth; straight from the horse's (Inkling's) mouth, so to speak. Fun to have on the wall.

This wonderful calendar highlights art that Tolkien drew for The Hobbit. The colors in this edition are bright and the pictures appropriate for framing. Tolkien's love of his subject and attention to detail are obvious in these colored pencil drawings, winsome renderings of scenes from Bilbo's adventures. It is fascinating to know how Tolkien thought his stories should look. Appropriate for any fan of Tolkien or any fan of author art.

It is absolutely fantastic to see Tolkien drawings in full colour in this calendar! Every Tolkien's Fan ought ot have it!

This calendar may strike those who are primarily familiar with Tolkien through the movies as somewhat plain and simple. But the real charm of these pictures and drawings illustrating The Hobbit is that they come from Tolkien's own pen and brush, and thus represent the author's true vision of Middle-earth.

Tolkien was a skilled artist, and his talents are well displayed here in these drawings and paintings. The best of these are Tolkien's own paintings. I am particularly fond of April's The Hill and December's Conversation With Smaug. Some of the illustrations were originally black and white drawings Tolkien produced for the book which have been colorized by H.E. Riddett. These have been reproduced many times since they were created in the 1970s. I have never been as fond of these colorized versions as I am of the black and white originals, since they seem to lack the true Tolkien spirit. Possibly that is because I am extremely familiar with the originals, and thus anything different strikes a false note. I do think the Riddett versions of the Misty Mountain landscape and the Elven-king's gate are quite nice.

All of these illustrations have been reproduced before in various calendars and in Christina Scull and Wayne Hammond's authoritative J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator. The short biography and book covers on the back page are identical to the 2005 calendar.

this is a great story. tolkien does a wonderful job portraing the perils and trauma that these charicters are having to overcome.I recomend it to anyone that prefers to read good literature.

This is a wonderful story about some imaginary creatures chock full great character development. You almost empathise with the characters as they endure their hardships and rejoice when they bond. If you like reading about dwarves, hobbits, orcs(goblins and bad guys), giant eagles, wizards and dragons - this is a must read.

If you like books that are full of fantical things, then you would like this book...Bilbo is so neat that you can't put the book down, you just want to see what will happen to the poor thing next. I think that this is one of those books that everyone should read.

Superbe ! Merveilleux ! C'est un chef d'oeuvre. J'ai lu la trilogie du seigneur des anneaux et j'ai adoré. Le seul point négatif de la trilogie selon moi, c'est la grande quantité de noms, de lieux, de liens vers des faits passés qui nécessite recherches et études. Dans "Bilbo le hobbit", tout est simple. On a droit à une aventure palpitante dans le même endroit si magique qu'est le seigneur des anneaux. On peut même y retrouver certain personnages familiers de la trilogie ( Gandalf, Gloïn, Elrond, les elfes, les nains, les orcs, Gollum, etc...). Bref, pour un livre de 300 et quelques pages, je l'ai dévoré du début à la fin. Merveilleux !

Ce livre est le précurseur à la trilogie du Seigneur des anneaux et il est triste de voir qu'il n'est pas plus publicisé. L'aventure de Bilbo y est fantastique, pleine de retournements. Cette histoire nous amène à mieux connaître les hobbits, les elfes et toutes les autres espèces de créatures de ce monde facinant.
C'est un must à lire et même si vous avez déjà lu le Seigneur des anneaux, vous n'y verrez pas de répétition d'une histoire à l'autre.

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien is a favorite. My students love the book and I look forward to the possibilities this guide offers.

Just reading this book set my eyes to tears it was so compelling! The hobbit was an awesome book and the author has many a talent. I hope you read this therefore feeling the moving story of The hobbit. It's the best book I have ever read.

For those who loved their journey from Hobbiton, across Mirkwood, to the Lonely Mountain and back, "The History of The Hobbit," by John Rateliff is a delight - even better than a second Breakfast. You will relive the first pleasure of reading about that most excellent and audacious Mr. Bilbo Baggins in early drafts by Tolkien.

We find that the wizard Galdalf was first named Bladorthin. Thorin was originally named Gandalf, the dwarf. Even Smaug was once Pryftan. Why these names evolved and much much more make "The History of the Hobbit," a great read for mere fans, philologists, as well as certified literary critics of Professor Tolkien.

Each chapter-length section of early drafts by Tolkien is enhanced with excellent text notes about these fragments. Following these sections of The Hobbit, Rateliff presents notes on the characters, geography, and types of magic encountered in Middle Earth.

Because these commentaries are so engrossing, it is tempting to jump around. If you are a riddle-lover, than jumping to the chapter on Gollum is a must. Rateliff provides sumptuous and intriguing tidbits about riddles written in Old English as well as in Mother Goose. If the background of the Ring tickles your wonderment, then we find sources ranging from Plato's Republic to H.G. Wells' Invisible Man, as well as many other influences.

Like the winding path Bilbo takes, under mountains and through the air, readers of "The History of The Hobbit," will find that they will want to visit all the spots that Bilbo did with greater understanding and renewed joy.

J.R.R. Tolkien must be among the most heavily analyzed of twentieth century writers. His drafts and redrafts of his Middle earth legendarium, in some cases dating back to his years in service during World War I, have been published as The History of Middle-earth by his son and literary executor Christopher Tolkien. Through their multiple volumes students can trace the evolution of Tolkien's world. Until now, however, we have been unable to trace the story of the work which made Tolkien and Middle-earth well known to the general public. John D. Rateliff, after many years of patient scholarship, has now filled that gap with The History of the Hobbit.

Mr. Baggins is the first of two volumes in The History of the Hobbit, and readers should buy it with its companion Return to Bag End at the same time. The second volume starts with page 469, and there is no Index in Volume I, for example. Mr. Rateliff has identified five phases in the writing of The Hobbit. Mr. Baggins covers the first and most of the second phases. Practically every word Tolkien wrote is printed, with extensive and fascinating notes and short essays by Mr. Rateliff interpolated with Tolkien's text. Colored plates showing some of Tolkien's sketches and maps are included, too.

The early versions of The Hobbit are startling, to say the least. Bilbo Baggins walks out of his hobbit hole one morning to meet the wizard Bladorthin, who brings thirteen dwarves led by their chieftain Gandalf to visit him. Bilbo is strongarmed into becoming the dwarves' burglar, charged with recovering an immense treasure from the dragon Pryftan. People who have read the published Hobbit will recognize that the essential story is present, but with many variations and false starts which Tolkien eventually straightened out.

The text notes and short essays provided by Rateliff are absolutely fascinating. They include discussions on the nature of elves, the origins of the word bilbo, magic rings from Plato onwards, and the influence the Dr. Dolittle series and the Tolkien children's love for bears had on the construction of The Hobbit.

This volume ends with Bilbo and the dwarves' arrival in Laketown. Again, be sure to buy Volume II at the same time as Volume I, because you'll want to keep reading!