The Hobbit, or, There and Back Again by J. R. R. Tolkien

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The Hobbit

by J.R.R. Tolkien

Series: The Lord of the Rings (Prequel)

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▾Book information

Info:	Houghton Mifflin (2002), Paperback
Member:	SwampIrish
Collections:	Your library	Rating:
Tags:	Fiction, Fantasy

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▾Recommendations

Member recommendations

Justin-brown recommends Bible: New International Version by Zondervan
Georgedoyle223 recommends Luthiel's Song: Dreams of the Ringed Vale by Robert Marston Fannéy, "Readers who love elves, fantasy, adventure, and strange creatures will enjoy both Luthiel's Song and The Hobbit."
DavidGoldsteen recommends Monkey by Wu Cheng'en, "If you like a quest story, here's the real deal. A Chinese classic first that first appeared as a novel over 500 years ago. Monkey is a lively, funny, (see more) exciting story."
benmartin79 recommends Beowulf by Anonymous
fleela recommends The Annotated Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

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▾Member reviews

English (251) Dutch (5) Swedish (2) German (2) Danish (2) Polish (1) Spanish (1) Catalan (1) Serbian (1) Norwegian (1) Portuguese (1) All languages (268)

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Showing 1-5 of 251 (next | show all)

I may be crucified for this statement, but I have always preferred "The Hobbit" over "Lord of the Rings." "Lord of the Rings" is very good literature, but "The Hobbit" has always been able to keep my attention much longer. If you want a book to analyze and take your time reading, I would recommend "Lord of the Rings." If you want an easier read, but still just as enjoyable, "The Hobbit" is your best bet. (

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katy89williams | Jan 3, 2010 |

I love it even more(though in a different way) than The Lord Of The Rings. (

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ProgWizardry | Dec 27, 2009 |

I listened to the talking book in the car over the past week. I have always struggled with reading 'The Hobbitt'. In the past I have picked up and put down this book several times. But as with other talking books I have listened to, I found that I could listened to 'The Hobbitt and truly enjoy it.

misibea | Dec 7, 2009 |

Classic adventure - takes you away and keeps you interested (

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MartinaL | Dec 6, 2009 |

The greatest fantasy epic of our time. The prelude to The Lord of the Rings.

hgcslibrary | Nov 29, 2009 |

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Showing 1-5 of 251 (next | show all)

▾Published reviews

1 review

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thingScore 100

This is one of the most freshly original and delightfully imaginative books for children that have appeared in many a long day. . . . a glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and seasoned with a quiet humor that is irresistible.

added by Shortride | editThe New York Times Book Review, Anne T. Eaton (Mar 13, 1938)

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▾Common Knowledge

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Series (with order)

The Lord of the Rings (0.2|Prequel)

Canonical Title

The Hobbit, or, There and Back Again

Original publication date

1937

People/Characters

Important places

Important events

Dwarf's party at Bag End

Bilbo finds the One Ring

Battle of Five Armies

The death of Smaug

The Hobbit: Part 1 (2011 ∙ IMDb)

Awards and honors

New York Herald Tribune's Children's Spring Book Festival Award (1938)

Waterstones Books of the Century (1997, No 19)

Waterstones The Nation's Favourite Children's Books (1997, No 5)

BBC's Big Read (Best loved novel, 2003, No 25)

New York Times bestseller (Fiction, 1977)

(show all 12 items)

Epigraph

Dedication

First words

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. 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 on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.

Quotations

"Never laugh at live dragons, Bilbo you fool!"

Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away ere break of day
To seek the pale enchanted gold.

This thing all things devours:
Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;
Gnaws iron, bites steel;
Grinds hard stones to meal;
Slays king, ruins town,
And beats high mountain down.

It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him. Dragons may not have much real use for all their wealth, but they know it to an ounce as a rule, especially after long possession; and Smaug was no exception.

There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and some wisdom, blended in measure. If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. But sad or merry, I must leave it now. Farewell!

(show all 10 items)

Last words

(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Blurbers

Auden, W. H.

▾References

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English (13)

Bibliography of J. R. R. Tolkien

Common Raven

Cultural depictions of ravens

English-language editions of The Hobbit

Template:ME-ref/TH/doc

The Hobbit

Translations of The Hobbit

Translations of The Lord of the Rings

Wolfgang Krege

▾LibraryThing members' description

Book description

The Hobbit is set in a time "Between the Dawn of Færie and the Dominion of Men", and follows the quest of home-loving Bilbo Baggins (the titular "Hobbit") to win his share of the treasure guarded by the dragon, Smaug. His journey takes him from light-hearted, rural surroundings into darker, deeper territory, meeting diverse denizens of the Wilderland along the way. By accepting the disreputable, romantic, fey and adventurous side of his nature (the "Tookish" side) and applying his wits and common sense, Bilbo develops a new level of maturity, competence and wisdom.

▾Book descriptions

Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0618260307, Paperback)

Written for J.R.R. Tolkien's own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when first published more than sixty years ago. Now recognized as a timeless classic with sales of more than 40 million copies worldwide, this introduction to Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf the Wizard, and the spectacular world of Middle-earth tells of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent.

(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:19 -0400)

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