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The Annotated Hobbit

By J.R.R. Tolkien, Douglas A. Anderson (Editor) (Adapter)

(1148)

| Hardcover | 9780618134700

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Book Description

For readers throughout the world, The Hobbit serves as an introduction to the enchanting world of Middle-earth, home of elves, wizards, dwarves, goblins, dragons, orcs and a host of other creatures depicted in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion -- tales that sprang from the mind of the most Continue

For readers throughout the world, The Hobbit serves as an introduction to the enchanting world of Middle-earth, home of elves, wizards, dwarves, goblins, dragons, orcs and a host of other creatures depicted in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion -- tales that sprang from the mind of the most beloved author of all time, J.R.R. Tolkien.
Newly expanded and completely redesigned, Douglas A. Anderson's The Annotated Hobbit is the definitive explication of the sources, characters, places, and things of J.R.R. Tolkien's timeless classic. Integrated with Anderson's notes and placed alongside the fully restored and corrected text of the original story are more than 150 illustrations showing visual interpretations of The Hobbit specific to many of the cultures that have come to know and love Tolkien's Middle-earth. Tolkien's original line drawings, maps and color paintings are also included, making this the most lavishly informative edition of The Hobbit available.
The Annotated Hobbit shows how Tolkien worked as a writer, what his influences and interests were, and how these relate to the invented world of Middle-earth. It gives a valuable overview of Tolkien's life and the publishing history of The Hobbit, and explains how every feature of The Hobbit fits within the rest of Tolkien's invented world. Here we learn how Gollum's character was revised to accommodate the true nature of the One Ring, and we can read the full text of The Quest of Erebor, Gandalf's explanation of how he came to send Bilbo Baggins on his journey with the dwarves. Anderson also makes meaningful and often surprising connections to our own world and literary history -- from Beowulf to The Marvellous Land of Snergs, from the Brothers Grimm to C. S. Lewis.

36 Reviews

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  • 5 people find this helpful

    The Hobbit - Inventor Of A Genre Still A Testament To Time

    Long ago in elementary school one of the first 'chapter' novels I ever read (I was so proud at the time I recall), was one entitled The Hobbit.

    I remember just loving the story but always being hungry and wishing I always had snacks around, but nothing much other than that (It's been so long). ... (continue)

    Long ago in elementary school one of the first 'chapter' novels I ever read (I was so proud at the time I recall), was one entitled The Hobbit.

    I remember just loving the story but always being hungry and wishing I always had snacks around, but nothing much other than that (It's been so long).

    Now, due to the fact that everyone around me seems to be hyped about the new Lord Of The Rings film and is reading the series, I decided to GASP! Go with the flow and start them as well (I have never read The Lord Of The Rings). I however, need completion when I read a series, so I decided to reread The Hobbit because well, I remembered nothing about it.

    Now I do! Oh boy, it's a good thing I read it around Christmas because at least this time I was able to stuff myself every time a halfling (a more widely used term for Hobbit these days it appears) has a cake, or second breakfast, etc.

    Bilbo Baggins is the hobbit in question's name and it's one that I have never forgotten since I first read it, even if I did forget exactly what he did.

    When I started off on this adventure for the second time I was wary that perhaps it could be a little to childish nowadays for my liking. I have read the Chronicles of Narnia a second time later in life as well and found them a little to easy to read, but they were enjoyable.

    At first I initially wasn't impressed. Bilbo, the wizard Gandalf, and a bunch of dwarves (not dwarfs), set out to steal back gold taken by a dragon named Smaug. A decent amount of pages in and it was just this little group travelling along, complaining, eating, and being watched over by Gandalf. I thought to myself, this is actually a pretty boring premise. Where is the grandeur? Where is the honourable quest (stealing gold doesn't do it for me)? Where is the heroism? That soon changed.

    It took a little while, but eventually the group's guardian, Gandalf leaves. It is the up to these inexperienced dwarves along with a very inexperienced hobbit to finish the task. One bad thing after another happens and surprise, surprise! Bilbo's courage grows (reluctantly perhaps, but it does) and he saves the day for the entire group and himself many a time.

    Now the story is a good one. Now it has meaning. Readers get to read along, as the spoilt little homebody Bilbo grows as a person, becomes honourable, and heroic. It's a tale everyone should like.

    As a prelude to the Lord Of The Rings, I don't really know how this fits in (I haven't read them, but I did see the first film and see some obvious ties of which I won't go into here) but it's still a very good read at any age. While my skeptical brain may not have been as lost in the world of Middle Earth as it once was when I was a child, The Hobbit still entertained me quite a bit.

    The Hobbit and the rest of Tolkien's works are stunning when you sit back and think of it. Sure the novels read a little like really well written Dungeons and Dragons books, but these were the first! There was nothing similar to The Hobbit back then. Tolkien invented 'orcs' and many other fantasy specifics that fantasy writers have used time and again.

    The Hobbit and Tolkien created a genre, which many have expanded upon and perhaps improved upon, but they still stand the test of time as classic epic fantasy.

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    CaptHowdy said on Sep 9, 2007 about the Mass Market Paperback edition | Add your feedback

  • 3 people find this helpful

    Reread many many years after my first (and second and third etc...) reading and The Hobbit is still a wonderful read. It reads almost as if it was spoken, not written. Not as dense or detailed as the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but sets in motion the events of that trilogy.

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    Cuzzin Todd said on Jan 9, 2008 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

  • 3 people find this helpful

    This is the class prequel to the LOTR trilogy. I never made it through the trilogy because I just thought The Hobbit was so much better! I read this for the first time in 5th grade. Its a great story - so fantastic and brilliant. It really is another world. One day I'll read the Trilogy... after I r ... (continue)

    This is the class prequel to the LOTR trilogy. I never made it through the trilogy because I just thought The Hobbit was so much better! I read this for the first time in 5th grade. Its a great story - so fantastic and brilliant. It really is another world. One day I'll read the Trilogy... after I reread the Hobbit :)

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    karattack said on Jan 4, 2008 about the Mass Market Paperback edition | Add your feedback

  • Un libro senza tempo...inevitabile per gli amanti del signore degli anelli e del mondo Tolkeniano...merita i miei elogi

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    Mario Mondini said on Feb 13, 2012 | Add your feedback

  • 1 person find this helpful

    Well, this is a real Classic.
    My first reading was so back in time that I could now almost fully re-enjoy the whole novel, ending included.
    What really I couldn't remember from my first experience, which had been with the italian translated copy, is of the heavily childish prose, especially until ... (continue)

    Well, this is a real Classic.
    My first reading was so back in time that I could now almost fully re-enjoy the whole novel, ending included.
    What really I couldn't remember from my first experience, which had been with the italian translated copy, is of the heavily childish prose, especially until the first half of the narration.

    But it's not an issue, of course.
    Masterpieces are issue-proof, that's a rule.

    Is this helpful?

    Gingillo said on Aug 26, 2011 about the Mass Market Paperback edition | Add your feedback

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9780618134700 Hardcover $30.00 $25.65 bn.com
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