J.R.R. Tolkien Boxed Set (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings)

Amazon.com

Hobbits and wizards and Sauron--oh, my! Mild-mannered Oxford scholar John Ronald Reuel Tolkien had little inkling when he published The Hobbit; Or, There and Back Again in 1937 that, once hobbits were unleashed upon the world, there would be no turning back. Hobbits are, of course, small, furry creatures who love nothing better than a leisurely life quite free from adventure. But in that first novel and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the hobbits Bilbo and Frodo and their elfish friends get swept up into a mighty conflict with the dragon Smaug, the dark lord Sauron (who owes much to proud Satan in Paradise Lost), the monstrous Gollum, the Cracks of Doom, and the awful power of the magical Ring. The four books' characters--good and evil--are recognizably human, and the realism is deepened by the magnificent detail of the vast parallel world Tolkien devised, inspired partly by his influential Anglo-Saxon scholarship and his Christian beliefs. (He disapproved of the relative sparseness of detail in the comparable allegorical fantasy his friend C.S. Lewis dreamed up in The Chronicles of Narnia, though he knew Lewis had spun a page-turning yarn.) It has been estimated that one-tenth of all paperbacks sold can trace their ancestry to J.R.R. Tolkien. But even if we had never gotten Robert Jordan's The Path of Daggers and the whole fantasy genre Tolkien inadvertently created by bringing the hobbits so richly to life, Tolkien's epic about the Ring would have left our world enhanced by enchantment. --Tim Appelo

Book Description

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
Four deluxe paperback volumes
by J.R.R. Tolkien

"J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings created a unique, wholly realized other world, evoked from deep in the well of Time, massively detailed, absorbingly entertaining, profound in meaning."
-- New York Times Book Review

Customer Reviews:

Lord of the Rings.......2007-10-09

The Fellowship of the Ring is an amazing piece of literature written by J.R.R. Tolkien. J.R.R. Tolkien was born in 1892 and died at age 81 in 1973. He was an author, a teacher, a philologist, and an icon for people who love to read fantasy books. His first book was The Hobbit, which was very popular when it came out in 1937. Then he started on the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, which became legendary all over the world.
The book The Fellowship of the Ring is about a young hobbit named Frodo who inherits a ring that has unusual powers. It first fell into the hands of Gollum, a creature who dwelled in the dark worshipping the ring, calling it "his precious". Then it fell into the hands of plump little Bilbo Baggins, Frodo's cousin. After many years, it was handed down to Frodo. When Frodo learned of its powers, he set off on a journey to seek fortune and adventure, as well as to destroy the ring. Through hardships and pain, Frodo and his friends travel across middle earth, encountering many un-natural things. To find out more, read the book!
I thought the book was fantastic; I give it a 9.5 out of 10. I was impressed by the quality of the writing, how descriptive it was, and how different all of the concepts were from how we live. It sure got me hooked! It was a challenging read, but it was worth it. I recommend it for experienced readers, because the book is 398 pages long. This book relates to the Hobbit, which my dad read to me when I was little. If you love fantasy, the Fellowship of the Ring is the right book for you. I am now moving on to the second book in the trilogy, The Two Towers.

Top Quality.......2007-10-07

The Hobbit/ Lond of the Rings Boxset is of very good quality and a certain must have for Lord of the Rings fans! No damage in the box set itself and the books are well printed!

Gets better with each reading.......2007-09-27

Read the Hobbit first then jump right in! I find new and wonderous things every time I read it again!

J.R.R. Tolkein Boxed Set.......2007-09-23

fast shipping, reasonable price for books that we have had for years and wanted to obtain new copies. Good job!

CLASSIC NOVELS!.......2007-09-13

I love this stuff. Tolkien is a great writer. LOTR rocks! Like the films, they get better with each one. The story is wonderful, and the writing style is first rate. You,ll love it.

Average customer rating:

Tolkien at his best!
The Hobbit
--
Tolkien Set the Stage
Better than LOTR

The Hobbit or There and Back Again
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 061815082X

Amazon.com

"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."

The hobbit-hole in question belongs to one Bilbo Baggins, an upstanding member of a "little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded dwarves." He is, like most of his kind, well off, well fed, and best pleased when sitting by his own fire with a pipe, a glass of good beer, and a meal to look forward to. Certainly this particular hobbit is the last person one would expect to see set off on a hazardous journey; indeed, when Gandalf the Grey stops by one morning, "looking for someone to share in an adventure," Baggins fervently wishes the wizard elsewhere. No such luck, however; soon 13 fortune-seeking dwarves have arrived on the hobbit's doorstep in search of a burglar, and before he can even grab his hat or an umbrella, Bilbo Baggins is swept out his door and into a dangerous adventure.

The dwarves' goal is to return to their ancestral home in the Lonely Mountains and reclaim a stolen fortune from the dragon Smaug. Along the way, they and their reluctant companion meet giant spiders, hostile elves, ravening wolves--and, most perilous of all, a subterranean creature named Gollum from whom Bilbo wins a magical ring in a riddling contest. It is from this life-or-death game in the dark that J.R.R. Tolkien's masterwork, The Lord of the Rings, would eventually spring. Though The Hobbit is lighter in tone than the trilogy that follows, it has, like Bilbo Baggins himself, unexpected iron at its core. Don't be fooled by its fairy-tale demeanor; this is very much a story for adults, though older children will enjoy it, too. By the time Bilbo returns to his comfortable hobbit-hole, he is a different person altogether, well primed for the bigger adventures to come--and so is the reader. --Alix Wilber

Book Description

From J.R.R. Tolkien's own description for the original edition:

"If you care for journeys there and back, out of the comfortable Western world, over the edge of the Wild, and home again, and can take an interest in a humble hero (blessed with a little wisdom and a little courage and considerable good luck), here is a record of such a journey and such a traveler. . . . In following the path of this humble adventurer, you will learn by the way (as he did)âif you do not already know all about these thingsâmuch about trolls, goblins, dwarves, and elves, and get some glimpses into the history and politics of a neglected but important period."
Featuring stunning new cover art by Caldecott Honor winning children's book illustrator Peter SÃs, this edition of The Hobbit has been specially formatted for young readers. Larger print size and wider margins provide reading ease for the youngest Tolkien fans. This quality digest edition also includes interior maps and original interior illustrations by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Customer Reviews:

Tolkien at his best!.......2007-10-09

As the prelude to the Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit or There and Back Again, is a magnificent tale of magic, fantasy, and adventure. I found that I could not set this book down. With each page, I was that much more drawn into the realm of Middle Earth, and I made myself put the book down for a little bit in order to enjoy it.

The characterization in this book is phenomenal. Both the protagonists and antagonists throughout the novel help creat the landscape of the book, as well as set the foundation for Middle Earth. Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit, displays the ideal character in that he is forced into a world of adventure of magic. As an innocent creature unaware of the outside world, Bilbo matures throughout the book, and is a classic example of a character who, by the end of the book, has developed into a great intellectual character. Bilbo continues to display this intellect throughout the Lord of the Rings.

I have experienced many a conflict with other readers who did not enjoy the Hobbit, and I'm not saying that this book is in everyone's favor, but any reader of fantasy, magic, and adventure will love this book. I recommend the Hobbit to every person no matter what age. As a timeless tale of Tolkien, I give this book five stars (although, it probably deserves more).

The Hobbit.......2007-10-06

This book was boasting with the great imagination of J.R.R Tolkein. About 60 years before the lord of the seires Bilbo Gandlaf and a gang of Dwarfs travel through the misty moantians to get to a treasure stolen from the Dwarfs. As the gang travels through the land they meet tons of epic characters (elfs dwarfs goblins trolls). Tolkein could have written more voilence like its sequel Lord of the Rings. Overall it was a epic classic.

--.......2007-10-03

I generally do not read books if there is a possibility of a movie being made on the same. However, this is a really very interesting book. You can not keep it down once you start reading.

Tolkien Set the Stage.......2007-10-02

Though I grew up reading fantasy, playing Lone Wolf books and sometimes joining an AD&D game, I had never read any of Tolkien's works until recently. The Hobbit sat on my bookshelf for seven years because I couldn't get past the first chapter. Now I breezed through it, soaking in the rich world of Tolkien's imagination and discovering where most modern fantasy has its roots. Though I've seen the first two Lord of the Rings movies, I'm now going to get and read those books and anything else JRR Tolkien wrote in the way of fantasy.

Better than LOTR.......2007-09-08

I think this book is a much better read than Lord of the Rings. I also think Peter Jackson should have made a movie out of this book. There are a million reviews out there for this book, so I just want to add that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Beautiful imagery, interesting storyline... This is one book that everyone should read.

Average customer rating:

Quite accurate

Spark Notes The Hobbit
J.R.R. Tolkien , and SparkNotes Editors
Manufacturer: SparkNotes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1586635883

Book Description

Get your "A" in gear!

They're today's most popular study guides-with everything you need to succeed in school. Written by Harvard students for students, since its inception SparkNotes™ has developed a loyal community of dedicated users and become a major education brand. Consumer demand has been so strong that the guides have expanded to over 150 titles. SparkNotes'™ motto is Smarter, Better, Faster because:

· They feature the most current ideas and themes, written by experts.
· They're easier to understand, because the same people who use them have also written them.
· The clear writing style and edited content enables students to read through the material quickly, saving valuable time.

And with everything covered--context; plot overview; character lists; themes, motifs, and symbols; summary and analysis, key facts; study questions and essay topics; and reviews and resources--you don't have to go anywhere else!

Customer Reviews:

Quite accurate.......2004-09-01

This is much better than The Cliff Notes for this book. It has much less mistakes. There are a few minor errors however. That is why you should also read these books and just use the Spark Notes as a guid. Overall it is well done. I would recomend it.

Average customer rating:

This is a story that grows with the reader.
excellent book
A Beautiful Story
Read First
Little Men on Big Adventure

The Hobbit
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0261103288

Customer Reviews:

This is a story that grows with the reader........2007-06-25

In a mythical or maybe just forgotten time, many creatures lived in places like the Shire, home to Bilbo Baggins, Hobbit. Hobbits are comfort loving creatures with no real sense for adventure. A knock on the door and Bilbo's life is about to change.

Calling this book children's book is like calling "Alice in Wonderland" [see "The Annotated Alice"] a children's book. Yes children can read this book and it is fun. How ever there is a lot more to this book than a cute story. And it has all the depth of the other Tolkien works with the exception of being shorter.

Many people look at this story as a prequel to "The Lord of the Rings", where in reality it is a stand-alone story with a perfectly good beginning, middle, and end. When you read "The Lord of the Rings" there is enough description to forgo "The Hobbit." Personally, I find that reading The Lord of the Rings first gave me the in-depth background to better appreciate The Hobbit.
Many of the creatures and adventures will put you on the edge of your seat. You will recognize the personalities and grow along will Bilbo as he faces new challenges as he learns to deal with life.
A good book to read first would be "The Power of Myth" by Joseph Campbell. Then you get a clearer picture of why the story progresses as it does.
ISBN: 0395177111

excellent book.......2007-03-29

This is a great book, that everyone should read. Tolkien grabs your attention from the first page and then leads you through an amazing journey with twists here and there.

A Beautiful Story.......2007-03-21

In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit. These first ten words transform ones imagination into a canvas of far away lands, ancient people, and a power so great nations fall. This classic story will turn you away from your worries and will place you with a sword and a keen sense of adventure. Highly recommended to anyone who wants to escape the world. J.R.R. Tolkien is a master.

Read First.......2006-05-29

If your are curious about the LOTR saga read this book first. I love this set, but the Trilogy moves at a slow pace. This book is a full adventure in one book. If you have trouble reading this I don't recommend you try and read the rest, but if you like this book and want to finish the story then by all means read the rest.

Little Men on Big Adventure.......2006-04-24

A down-to-earth hobbit named Bilbo Baggins is recruited to go with a group of dwarves on an adventure. The adventure will hold many dangers and take them to an old kingdom. At this abandoned kingdom is a dragon that holds all the stolen wealth of unimaginable worth from the kingdom. Bilbo and the dwarves go on a long journey, which holds many hardships, to take all that treasure away from the dragon and give it out to everybody on the journey.

I liked how much action and detail was in the book. I was able to picture everything going on throughout the entire book. I didn't have any dislikes about this awesome book.

I think people who like adventure, magic, and aren't afraid to read a harder book would like this book. This book is a little like the Redwall series and also like the books written by Gary Paulsen. This book really isn't about magic, but the adventure itself.

Average customer rating:

Remarkable pop-ups, no story
Tolkien is The Master Story-Teller....he created the genre
How Disappointing!
Amazing Detail

The Hobbit: A 3-D Pop-Up Adventure
J. R. R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: HarperFestival
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Delve into the incredible world of hobbits, wizards, and dragons in this exceptional visual adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's classic fantasy epic The Hobbit. This innovative pop-up book transports hero Bilbo Baggins, a small, quiet hobbit, through five adventures from the novel. Featuring beautiful illustrations, intricate paper engineering, and pull-out scrolls with excerpts, this unique edition is the perfect introduction to Tolkien's timeless tale and a must-have collectible for Hobbit fans of all ages.

Customer Reviews:

Remarkable pop-ups, no story.......2001-02-18

This book was both a pleasure and a disappointment. There are only five scenes depicted -- the dwarves come to Bilbo's house, Bilbo riddles with Gollum, the spiders, Smaug in his lair, the Eagles' arrival at the last battle -- but they are magnificent.

The artist, John Howe, did remarkable work, but he needed some support here. The only text is a few excerpted paragraphs. This book would get a child interested in pop-ups but not necessarily in The Hobbit.

Tolkien is The Master Story-Teller....he created the genre.......2000-10-01

The writings of Professor Tolkien are absolutely Timeless. These books are the gauge by-which all Fantasy books are measured. The Hobbit and The Trilogy have been the Inspiration for decades of works by other authors, yet I have not ever seen these works surpassed by anyone. Terry Brooks is the only author I have read who even compares to J.R.R. Tolkien and his epic style. I became fascinated with The Hobbit and Trilogy when I was in the seventh grade. I borrowed them from a friend and snuck them home. I was completely enthralled with the world Tolkien created. I was not allowed to read anything that was even remotely related to Wizards, Witches, Astrology, D&D, etc., so these books were like nothing I had ever seen, before. I was captivated and felt the call to become a Writer. Previously, the poetry and such that we were studying in school BORED me to tears. I found my schooling to be mind-numbingly BORING and Tolkien became my Inspiration to Learn, create Poetry, Write stories, Study, become an Anthropologist, delve into Masonic Lore and so much more.... Throughout High-School, I had pictures of Prof. Tolkien on my wall and I desired to be like him. Not-only was he the Greatest Fantasy Writer the world has known, but he was "Professor of Anglo-Saxon, at Oxford University, from 1925 to 1945....and professor of English Language and Literature....and a Fellow of Merton College from '45 to his retirement in '59." Check out his translations of (book title:)"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, and Sir Orfeo" (J.R.R. Tolkien) Also, Prof. Tolkien wrote wonderful stories like "Smith of Wooten Major (&) Farmer Giles of Ham" for children. Pop those titles into the search box! I can honestly say that reading Tolkien changed my life...for the Better! Tolkien created the highest standards of writing for generations of authors....I am quite sure he would be deeply disappointed with the majority of books published today, with numerous spelling errors and pathetic grammar. I believe Tolkien is a god-send to English teachers. Perhaps, he can still inspire young people to elevate their Writing and English skills, from beyond. I would fight to keep his works on the shelves. I was not allowed to do my Senior Thesis about this author, despite the fact that he is such an amazing author and advocate of Literature. I lost interest in doing my thesis and threw something together at the last minute. Perhaps teachers should Recognize the potential for inspiring youth, via the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.

How Disappointing!.......2000-01-20

I saw the cover with the marvelous John Howe illustration of Smaug, the dragon, and the gold leaf trim with the Tolkein runes, I exptected a lot. Apparently I expected too much. The illustrations are excellent, vintage Howe, and the "pop-up" effects are better than average (I have kids, I've seen some poor attempts at pop-up.) But for some reason they didn't think to include the story! Each page has a pull out card that includes actual Tolkien text to "set the scene" of each illustration, but there is no context, no sense of story at all. These are simply unrelated images that somehow tie in to a story. My 4-year-old daughter was first excited by the pictures, and anxious to pull the tabs and wiggle the pictures, then confused by the big words, then bored by the whole thing. After reading her the whole book as a bedtime story, she was thouroughly un-impressed. So was I. I have been waiting a long time to have a children's version of the story I could introduce to my children. I guess I'll wait a little longer.

Amazing Detail.......1999-10-21

This pop-up book of the beloved classic is very imagnative and the details are really amazing. I highly recommend this book for both children and Tolkien fans!

Average customer rating:

One of the best books about Tolkien ever
Most of the annotations are wasted.
Very good supplement to a landmark book.
A Beautiful Version of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit
A Mixed Bag

The Annotated Hobbit
J. R. R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0007137273

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 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.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best books about Tolkien ever.......2005-08-06

I've read many Books about J.R.R Tolkien and his creation, as well as the entire 12 books of the History of Middle Earth. The Annotated Hobbit is the best of them all. It is sheer example of a book that tells you a lot but don't confuse you with too much data.
Every person that read the Annotated Hobbit will never again treat the Hobbit as a simple children's book. The Hobbit has depth and Anderson provides us with important insights, ideas and interesting data.
The Annotated Hobbit also has the famous "missing chapter" that was included in the Hobbit's first edition. (i.e. the chapter where Gollum is showing Bilbo the way out and acts like an honest guy - Tolkien had to change that of course after he wrote the Lord of The Rings).
Read this book and you will understand a lot more about The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings and J.R.R Tolkien himself.

Most of the annotations are wasted........2005-05-21

This is my third "Annotated" book -- following The Annotated Alice and Annotated Fairy Tales -- and while The Hobbit itself is great, the majority of the annotations add no value to the story as they merely mark where a word or two was changed between editions. Unfortunately, there's so many of them that they frequently appear a couple of pages after they're noted so you have to turn forward to find out that "South" was changed to "Southwest" and then you've broken the flow of the story. The Hobbit itself is a great read-aloud story and some of the annotations are surprising and interesting... but the mundane and boring annotations really weigh the book down compared to the annotations in Alice or Fairy Tales.

Very good supplement to a landmark book........2005-04-26

`The Annotated Hobbit', annotated by bookseller Douglas A. Anderson is published by J.R.R. Tolkien's American publisher, Houghton Mifflin (important because it means the cover of this book uses the same art as the cover of the most popular hard-covered American edition of the Hobbit, published in the 1960's).

Let me be perfectly clear that this is first and foremost a review of the Annotation, not of the novel, `The Hobbit' itself. I have an almost reverential respect for the original novel, having bought my first copy of this work on a cold February day in 1965 in the Lehigh University bookstore. I began reading it on the bus on the way home from my college classes at about 1:00 PM, and simply could not put it down. I finished reading it at about 8:30 that evening. The experience is not unlike some cinematic versions of experiences like Dorothy's opening the door of her Kansas house to step out onto the grass of Oz. I am totally unsurprised by a statement in this annotation that says that the entire first page of `The Hobbit' has been reproduced in `Bartlett's Familiar Quotations'. There are few more magical or evocative openings to novels I have read in my whole life. And, while I can appreciate that there are adult readers, my Hemingway loving uncle being one of them, who simply `don't get it', I am often driven to the point of dispair when I can't interest young readers or listeners in `The Hobbit'. Like `Winnie the Pooh' and `Alice in Wonderland', I really think these are books designed much more to bring back memories of childhood in adults than to engage young readers. And oh how much I enjoy reading `The Hobbit' aloud!

But back to this Annotation'. Like similar annotations to works of fiction such as `Alice in Wonderland' and the Arthur Conan Doyle stories of Sherlock Holmes, there are four different subjects for annotation. One is internal; where names and events are cross-referenced to other parts of the work to explain, elaborate, resolve, or point out inconsistencies. The second is external, where correspondences can be made to sources or, in the case of Conan Doyle or Carroll, events of the day that may have found their way into the fiction. The third is references to the author's unpublished notes and letters. Tolkien's works should be rich sources for all three types of annotation, as the world of `The Hobbit' and `The Lord of the Rings' is based on an enormous body of Norse, Celtic, and Teutonic mythology, fable, and epic literature. Also, standing behind `The Hobbit' is the great events of `The Lord of the Rings', `The Silmarillion', and over twelve volumes of Tolkien writings compiled and annotated by Christopher Tolkien.

So why are the annotations in this volume so sparse? The author certainly does not limit himself to only one kind of annotation. There are examples of all three references to other Tolkien works, notes and letters, and other sources. The author does give us lots of illustrations of scenes from `The Hobbit' published in translations of the work from around the world. There are also a few illustrations from books that certainly influenced Tolkien, such as `The Marvelous Land of Snergs'. The one thing that all these illustrations tell me is that, on average, they are not very good, oriented primarily towards a children's audience rather than some of the more heroic art familiar to us from modern fantasy illustrators. It seems to me a lost opportunity also to not include Tolkien's own color illustrations for `The Hobbit', as they appeared on the very first `Tolkien' calendar in, I believe 1966 or 1967.

I will give just a few illustrations of where I think the author may have disappointed his readers. By far the most interesting character in `The Hobbit' next to Bilbo and Gandalf is Smaug. And yet, the book has next to nothing to say about the fictional antecedents of that delightfully cagey old worm. One of my only fond memories of the rather insipid cartoon version of `The Hobbit' done several decades ago is the gravely voice of Smaug done by Paladin himself, Richard Boone. If you couldn't get John Huston, then Boone was certainly the next best thing. To the whole conversation between Bilbo and Smaug, there are but two notes regarding Smaug and dragons. At least we get a reference about the source of Smaug's name, a primitive Germanic verb, `smugan' meaning to squeeze through a hole. Tolkien confessed that this was `a low philological jest'. In the wider story culminating in the great events of `The Lord of the Rings' coming at the end of the Third Age, it is much more important to Gandalf to remove this great dragon from the field so Sauron could not use him as a weapon in the War of the Rings than it was to restore a small band of dwarves to their treasures. The book has practically nothing to say about this, or the fact that the character of the `necromancer' who takes up residence at the southwestern tip of Mirkwood forest is actually either the leader of the Nazgul or Sauron himself.

I keep thinking, as I turn each page of ample, empty white margins, all the things that could have been included.

In balance, this is not a bad book or even a poor purchase, especially if, like me, you simply must have a copy of every different version of Tolkien's works imaginable. It has a very nice bibliography and an Appendix of all textual changes between the 1937 and 1966 editions. For those notes it does have, it is great as a version to read to children where you can record your own notes with answers to their questions.

A Beautiful Version of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit.......2005-02-08

This beautiful version of Tolkien's The Hobbit is one of the best versions you can get of this book. The annotations and commentary of information make this a must for Tolien fans. The artwork of some artists and Tolkien himself is beautiful. I giive it a Two Thumbs up.

A Mixed Bag.......2004-09-25

I thoroughly appreciate the illustrations of how the Hobbit has been illustrated in other countries that are included in this edition. The introduction is first rate, though mysteriously it uses end notes while the rest of the book uses annotation in the margin. The notes that delve into the possible sources and influences on Tolkien's thought and work are mostly interesting and informative. The main negative I find is how many marginal notes are devoted to textual variants between the various editions. For example, in the section where the company meets the trolls, a note explains one version has "they dropped him" while another version has "he dropped him." Although the textual variant notes are usually more extensive than this, they are an uninteresting disappointment to me. The level of detail is high, but at times, almost to the point of being pedantic. Still, if you love the work of Tolkien, you will find this version enjoyable as well.

Average customer rating:

Disappointing, my precious
This does not do a classic story any justice...
Not a reading of the text
Not the best Audio CD of Tolkien's Hobbit
Stirring the imagination to new heights

The Hobbit (BBC Radio Presents; 5 CDs)
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Random House Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 0553455621
Release Date: 1997-11-10

Book Description

Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit, is a peaceful sort who lives in a cozy hole in the Shire, a place where adventures are uncommon--and rather unwanted. So when the wizard of Gandalf whisks him away on a treasure hunting expedition with a troop of rowdy dwarves, he's not entirely thrilled. Encountering ruthless trolls, beastly orcs, gigantic spiders, and hungry wolves, Bilbo discovers within himself astonishing strength and courage. And at the ultimate confrontation with the fearsome dragon Smaug, the hobbit will brave the dangers of dark and dragon-fire alone and unaided.

J.R.R. Tolkien's timeless and beloved tale is presented in a stunning dramatization that resounds with all the excitement of a theater performance--and all the charm of a vintage radio show. Originally conceived for BBC broadcast and produced by the world's foremost creators of radio entertainment, this lavish production melds a full cast with stirring music and sound effects to bring this magnificent classic to life.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing, my precious.......2007-04-15

To the best of my knowledge, there are three dramatizations of The Hobbit extant. A very conventional animated cartoon was produced for American television about 30 years ago, using American actors, including Orson Bean as Bilbo Baggins. There is an American "Mind's Eye" audio production, which I have never heard. And there is this BBC radio production. From what I have read, it was originally broadcast in 1968. Some time later, it was discovered that the BBC had inadvertently destroyed the original masters, and the show was recovered from an off-air taping by a private citizen. The "original" tapes had a lot of tape hiss, which unfortunately is quite audible on the cassette version I own. Turning on the Dolby noise reduction helps, but you also have to turn the volume way up. Modern digital remastering should fix this. However, the poor sound is not the least of the problems of this production. I don't know much about the culture in the BBC radio division in the sixties, but the producers of this show, I think, tried to turn Tolkien into Shakespeare, which was a mistake. The music is Elizabethan or Jacobean in style and performed with period instruments such as krumhorns and viols, with very dissonant melodies that are unpleasant and distracting, not to mention not sung very well. The script is often declaimed in a sort of Globe Theatre style that is not appropriate to the story. The script abridgments sometimes leave confusing gaps in the story, although for the most part it's a straightforward adaptation of Tolkien's book. The director seems to make a point of having the actors mispronounce many of the proper names, putting the accent on the last syllable instead of the first: Thorin becomes Toréen, Gandalf is Gandálf, Gollum is Gollóom, etc. But by far the biggest problem is the woeful misdirection of the actors voicing the major characters: Bilbo comes across as a breathless, dithering, bumbling twit; Gandalf sounds like an effete, supercilious butler rather than a vigorous wizard whose whimsy conceals a lord of great reverence; Thorin is much too operatic, etc. All of the dwarves and the elves have high, thin, choleric old men's voices that are almost impossible to distinguish and everyone chatters incessantly, cutting off everyone else's lines. The actor playing Bard of Laketown does pretty well.

Unfortunately for this production, any dramatization of Tolkien's works will inevitably be judged against the greatest of them all: The magnificent BBC radio adaptation of "The Lord of the Rings" done in the late 1970s and first broadcast in the States about 1980. That production was far superior to Peter Jackson's dreadful New Line film trilogy, which were visually splendid but so badly miscast and which took so many liberties with plot, characterization and dialogue that you wonder why they even bothered. Alas, listeners hoping for a version of The Hobbit that measures up to the BBC LOTR will be disappointed here.

This does not do a classic story any justice..........2007-04-10

Well, I got this thinking that since the BBC did such a great job with The Lord of the Rings their rendition of the Hobbit might be worth listening to.

Well, I was very mistaken. Everything about this production--the music, the sound effects and the voice acting-- is rather shoddy and ammaturish. Sounds like something a group of highschool students could do in their basement. I had to turn it off when the company was stuck in the trees surrounded by wargs. Who made these decisions???

Also, Gandalf sounds rather young, and the dwarves all have high-pitched voices. Come on! This isn't a Disney movie. Frankly, Bilbo and the narrator were the most enjoyable parts...well, the trolls were kind of cool, too.

I could go on and on to discuss the way they electronically altered people's voices for the wolves and the goblins (isn't there a little thing called voice acting that's supposed to make someone sound like a goblin?) and other things, but the just of all this is: IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON GETTING THIS BECAUSE YOU LIKED THE BBC VERSION OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS, DON'T. It is NOT the same quality of work.

The End.

And the way they pronounced Gollum: "Goloom???" Where do you get that from??

Not a reading of the text.......2007-01-10

This is a dramatization, like listening to a movie but not seeing the pictures. It is not a word for word reading of the book text. The dramatization might be hard to follow if you haven't read the book. If you know the story well, the dramatization is entertaining.

Not the best Audio CD of Tolkien's Hobbit.......2006-08-15

First of all, there are two other Audio books I've listened to. The first is the unabridged reading by one speaker and the other is the abridged production by 5 or 6 UK voice actors, which is the best of all 3. Second, the style of this production (being reviewed) can be annoying. It's almost like the Audio CD of a play instead of a book -- not many Audio Plays on the market, are there? Third, the voice casting doesn't at all match what we've come to expect. After more than 50 years, we have movies, cartoons, video games, and other sources that have shaped our constructs and expectations for these classics to such an extent that we need confirmation of what we already know. Even so, I wouldn't recommend this audio book to anyone, not a new Hobbit reader, and not even to someone lacking all the previously formed expectations. It's just not one of the better Audio Books you might find on the Hobbit.

Stirring the imagination to new heights.......2006-02-27

going to keep this short. excellent in all aspects. well acted, sounds, etc. brilliant. only bad thing was when its over. old speech style is great too and have listened to it many times so far since buying it.

Average customer rating:

No Frills

The Hobbit [UNABRIDGED]
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Recorded Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 1402536941

Customer Reviews:

No Frills.......2007-02-15

This set of CD's is of the "no frills" variety, but that does not detract from it being a great story, compellingly told by Rob Inglis.
My copy had a defect on disc #7, but Amazon exchanged it promptly and without fuss.

Average customer rating:

Great aid.
Very Christian
Progeny Press The Hobbit A Study Guide

The Hobbit Study Guide
Michael Poteet
Manufacturer: Progeny Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Books & Reading | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Study Guides | Reference | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1586091735

Book Description

Easy-to-use, reproducible lessons on literary terms, comprehension and analysis, critical thinking, related scriptural principles, vocabulary, activities, plus a complete answer key.

Customer Reviews:

Great aid........2006-11-10

Once again the folks at Progeny Press put together a great study guide for another wonderful book.

Very Christian.......2002-06-28

Be aware that over 50% of the comprehension and analysis questions directly relate to chapter and verse of the Christian Bible. The remaining questions require closed-ended answers from the text of The Hobbit.

Progeny Press The Hobbit A Study Guide.......2001-07-16

I have been searching for years for a comprehensive study guide to J.R.R. Tolkien's, The Hobbit--and alas! I've found it! This study guide not only teaches students (readers) grammar and vocabulary but also relates the story to biblical events and teachings. I am so pleased with what Michael Poteet, author, has assembled in this guide. Five *'s!

Average customer rating:

The Hobbit/Audio Cassettes

Manufacturer: Soundelux Audio Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0881425656

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