THE HOBBIT

"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 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Noted artist Hague provides 48 dazzling paintings for this first-ever version of the timeless fantasy classic. All ages.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

First published in the U.K. in 1937, this is the volume that introduced the world to hobbits, Middle-earth, Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf the wizard, and the Ring of power. A new edition, formatted for younger readers, was released in August and features cover art by Peter S!s (ISBN 0-618-16221-6. $18; pap. ISBN 0-618-15082-X. $10).
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

‘One of the best loved characters in English fiction… a marvellous fantasy adventure’
Daily Mail

‘Finely written saga of dwarves and elves, fearsome goblins and trolls… an exciting epic of travel, magical adventure, working up to a devastating climax’
The Observer

‘A flawless masterpiece’
The Times

Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit, is a peaceful sort of cozy hole in the Shire, a place where adventures are uncommon and rather unwanted. So when the wizard 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. Brilliantly conceived to evoke Tolkien's richly imagined Middle Earth, this production features an original score written for Renaissance era instruments outstanding ensemble acting by the best performers available to the BBC and innovative sound techniques designed to present a hobbit's eye view of Bilbo's adventures. A fitting tribute to the centenary of J.R Tolkien's birth. The Hobbit will captivate longtime fans and the newly initiated alike. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

First published in the United States more than sixty years ago, J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit has become one of the best-loved books of all time. Tolkien's fantasy was then adapted into a fully painted graphic novel, which became a classic in its own right...

The enchanted prelude to The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit is the story of Bilbo Baggins, a quiet and contented hobbit whose life is turned upside down when he joins the wizard Gandalf and thirteen dwarves on their quest to reclaim stolen treasure. It is a journey fraught with danger?and in the end it is bilbo Baggins alone who must face the guardian of this treasure, the most dreaded dragon in all Middle-earth. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.