Bilbo Baggins, a respectable, well-to-do hobbit, lives comfortably in his hobbit-hole until the day the wandering wizard Gandalf chooses him to take part in an adventure from which he may never return.
Does this belong here? If this is not really the same "thing" as the other versions in this work,
click here to move it
(or read more about how to make this decision.)
Bilbo Baggins, a respectable, well-to-do hobbit, lives comfortably in his hobbit-hole until the day the wandering wizard Gandalf chooses him to take part in an adventure from which he may never return.
Notes
"Text of this edition is based on that first published in Great Britain by Collins Modern Classics in 1998 ... corrections have been made to that setting"--T.p. verso.
Does this belong here? If this is not really the same "thing" as the other versions in this work,
click here to move it
(or read more about how to make this decision.)
"Whisked away from his comfortable, unambitious life in his hobbit-hole in Bag End by Gandalf the wizard and a company of dwarves, Bilbo Baggins finds himself caught up in a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Although quite reluctant to take part in this quest, Bilbo surprises even himself by his resourcefulness and his skill as a burglar!"--BOOK JACKET. "Written for J.R.R. Tolkien's own children, The Hobbit met with instant success when published in 1937. Now, in 1997, this special new edition, illustrated by Alan Lee, commemorates the sixtieth anniversary of a great classic."--BOOK JACKET.
Does this belong here? If this is not really the same "thing" as the other versions in this work,
click here to move it
(or read more about how to make this decision.)
Okay, so I say that this is the best way to read The Hobbit. And I am dead serious.
I know that annotated books can be difficult to navigate, filled with useless, pointless, or just plain boring information, and can be grossly oversized. That is not the case here.
So - here's the scoop.
The original story is very nicely presented, with all original illustrations in color when possible, and in black and white elsewhere. The type is nice and clear, very easy to read. (Many cheaper editions are also rather hard on the eyes. Check the print before you buy, folks!)
The illustrations are printed very clearly, and with very good notes on what they are.
And then the annotations - useful, engaging, and very well done. You will WANT to read these. We discover how the book was written, and what was changed between editions. (There were many changes made so that The Hobbit would conform more easily to the Lord of the Rings trilogy.) There are fascinating tidbits about Tolkien's life and the experiences that made their way into the story.
The forward tells about the writing of the novel, and the appedices give additional details about the text.
There are also many illustrations from other editions of the book. These are varied, from thought-provoking to not-provoking.
And the book is not too big. Some editions are simply too big to be read, but this book is reasonably sized so that you can actually READ IT! In fact, I have not read any other edition of The Hobbit for years, since the original annotated version came out.
This newly published, annotated version of THE HOBBIT is excellent for fans of the book. It may be TMI ("too much information") for the first-time reader. The text of THE HOBBIT settles in the center of the book while Doug Anderson's notations appear in the outer margins. At times it's a bit busy - but there's always fascinating reading! Tolkien fans are sure to get excited over this one.
Doug Anderson includes lots of sources in his notes. He quotes Tolkien's own letters, other fairy tales and legends that may have inspired Tolkien, as well as previous versions of the section he's noting. The Gollum section ("Riddles in the Dark") is interesting. Tolkien did some tinkering with the original Gollum story as its follow-up (LORD OF THE RINGS) was taking shape. Seems that George Lucas is not the only person who's revised previously released work! Tolkien was his predecessor.
Also interesting are the many black and white illustrations that Anderson includes, many from foreign editions of THE HOBBIT. Some of the art is hilarious, as it does not resemble Tolkien's characters at all! There is a nice color section of illustrations in the center of the book.
THE ANNOTATED HOBBIT is a handsome, interesting book to own if you're a fan of Bilbo and his adventures with the dwarves (or dwarfs? That's covered in the book as well!)
The best book ever written published in a beautiful format
5/5
Amazon
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.
Northern Territory Times..., Thursday 14 August 1913 p 6 ... THE EVILS OF FANTASTICFICTION. The rapid development of the. cal knowledge of the functions of ... stock of. symptoms. " -«¿¿au^T -^n;- "' "j Many ¿twists pi the nanacate iiai- . tated from, fantastic ... fantastic figures or ideals'of our favourite author. The bookworm who delves in his-, tóry's pages , of ... 745 words
The Argus (Melbourne,..., Saturday 3 July 1937 Supplement: Week-End Magazine p 31 ... I New Fiction Received AN ADRIATIC FANTASY Literary Spring." 1» Cliarlr-i Norden (Tabir , ami ... merchant-men. Ile Is | a young writer with a highly developed sense of the fantastic and the macabre. ... the respectable suburbs in which most of the heroes and heroines of modem fiction .spend their ... 347 words
The Argus (Melbourne,..., Friday 10 August 1934 p 7 ... NEW FICTION I FANCY AND FANTASY Imaginative Authors There are signs in "Defy the Foul Fiend" that Mr. liearl," by John Collier is closely acquainted with classics of fiction. Deliberately he has ... 7/0 | An Innocent at Home There are signs in "Defy the Foul I Fiend" that Mr. John Collier is ... 1170 words