J.R.R. Tolkien discussion

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien was second in our recent poll for a Group Read. With the spring choice of The Silmarillion well under way, here's your summer reading.

As many of us will have read The Hobbit multiple time, and possibly quite recently, I've also queued up an alternative, as you will see from the Group Reads folder.

I will also start to read this book for the first time on June 01, I can't wait.

I envy you your first reading of The Hobbit, Maria. On the other hand, you might envy me my 5-millionth (slight hyperbole) reading!

Yes, but how many years have you left between readings?

I guess that I read the Hobbit every couple of years. I've read it twice recently, having bought a new edition shortly after reading my older one.

Can't wait to get started on this. Need to finish The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King first. It's been quite a few years since my last reading of The Hobbit and I'm looking forward to re-connecting with all of my dear old friends!

A long-expected party!

Interesting, I'm curious as to whether I could re-read it so many times. I bought this edition: http://www.bookdepository.com/Hobbit-...

If i want to read it again, which editions would you recommend after I read this one

thanks

Maria wrote: "Interesting, I'm curious as to whether I could re-read it so many times. I bought this edition: http://www.bookdepository.com/Hobbit-...

If i want to read it again, which edition..."

I think that all the current editions are basically the same - certainly in terms of the text. The latest edition I got was an anniversary edition (The Hobbit) in a slip case and with a slightly modified colour scheme on the cover art (the red sun that Tolkien originally wanted, but which the publisher said was too expensive). So, I'm re-reading the same text each time.

If you wanted something a bit different, you could try The Annotated Hobbit: The Hobbit, Or, There and Back Again, which as the title suggests has lots of additional information about the story, Tolkien's sources, etc.

I read somewhere there are some older editions that are a bit different regarding the text but Tolkien was told from the publishers to change the events because it didn't make sense or something like that, I don't think I could find and buy it since they are rare and expensive.
I didn't know the fact about the red sun, that's interesting to me, now when I look at my cover I will always notice the sun isn't red. I would like to have the annotated edition also in the future, thanks for the recommendation.
I don't know if I could start to read it this day, I can't read too much today, I already finished a book yesterday that was 400+ pages in 3 days and I think I need a pause. ALSO, i need to mention that not only this is my first reading of the book, it's also the first book that I will read in English.

Yes, the original edition is different and Tolkien amended it to fit more closely with the Lord of the Rings, which he was then developing. I should think very difficult to find and very expensive if you did!

The other book in the Group Read for summer is The History of the Hobbit, Volume 1, which examines the Tolkien's development of the story and the textual changes he made.

I do hope that you find your first reading in English an enjoyable one :-)

Just finished up with Bert, Tom and Bill. I think that I could easily read and enjoy a novella based on the three of them; quite entertaining!

Michael wrote: "Maria wrote: "Interesting, I'm curious as to whether I could re-read it so many times. I bought this edition: http://www.bookdepository.com/Hobbit-...

If i want to read it again,..."

I saw the annotated version of book at the Harvard Bookstore earlier today and pried my hands off of it with great difficulty, considering I already have a different copy. But it was so beautiful!

So what's the deadline for this reading?

No real deadline, but the group read is July 1-Aug 31.

Stefan wrote: "Just finished up with Bert, Tom and Bill. I think that I could easily read and enjoy a novella based on the three of them; quite entertaining!"

I read the Roast Mutton chapter on the 5th and I also agree a novella with the trolls would be quite nice, I love the story so far and I'm actually reading this book very slowly on purpose, I also "extract" some details that sound interesting to me and I write them in a notebook.
I finished Riddles in the dark chapter yesterday, loved it so much! Today I just got home and didn't have time to read and I hope I can read later in the night because I have to leave the house again.

This is one of my favorite books of all time and I'm really enjoying this re-read (I don't know what number of re-read it is for me, but I've read it several times.) I'm also taking it slowly, reading only a chapter a night and putting a little more thought into the world and events than I have in the past.

I the last chapter I read, A Short Rest, I found Tolkien's presentation of the Elves to be TOTALLY different than his representation of them in other works (especially considering that I'm still working my way through the Silmarillion as well.) They are VERY carefree and frivolous, singing goofy songs and acting as if they don't have a care in the world. The Elves in the Silmarillion are NOTHING like this, as a matter of fact in our group read discussion Enko commented that "They were pretty much all bastards, weren't they?". While this may be a bit on the extreme side, I don't think that you can say anything remotely similar about the Elves presented to us at this point in The Hobbit.

I wonder why he didn't change around their personalities when he did the rewrite to make this fit in as a prequel to his larger work?

Pallavi wrote: "I saw the annotated version of book at the Harvard Bookstore earlier today and pried my hands off of it with great difficulty, considering I already have a different copy. But it was so beautiful!"

Almost as if it were The Precious!

The "goofy song" part in Rivendell took me by surprise as I imagined a very wise and serious tone before the song started and that expectation was influenced only by being familiar with the movies LOTR. I will buy the Silmarillion too after I finish LOTR and read it to compare, interesting.

Well, I've made the journey through the Misty Mountains and have just met Beorn. Still loving it, but I had remembered things being a lot more drawn out and detailed than they really are. It's moving along REALLY quickly!

Moving along at a steady pace now! When I started this, so soon after reading The Silmarillion, the simpler language and ease of the story made me wonder at first if I had made a mistake and was going to, in some way, tarnish my favorite book a bit. Thankfully, I was wrong and am once again savoring every moment that I spend with Bilbo and Co.

i'm reading The Hobbit for the first time now- i love it to bits. Tolkien's love of song and prose is so evident, and his writing is beautiful. the plot twists and turns at just the right places and there is a good bit of humor in it, too.
we've left Mirkwood and escaped from the Elvenking's palace- i can't wait to finish it!

Caitlin, glad that you're enjoying your first journey! You and I are at almost exactly the same point! Have fun with the rest.

Caitlin & Stefan: SMAUG THE MAGNIFICENT!!! You have been warned, ha, ha!

Just finished this up tonight. Once I reached the Lonely Mountain, I found it extremely hard to put down. Really stood the test of time and still one of my favorite books ever!

Michael wrote: "Caitlin & Stefan: SMAUG THE MAGNIFICENT!!! You have been warned, ha, ha!"
Oh how I love the name! :) Cannot wait to see Smaug's movie representation!

Pallavi wrote: "Michael wrote: "Caitlin & Stefan: SMAUG THE MAGNIFICENT!!! You have been warned, ha, ha!"
Oh how I love the name! :) Cannot wait to see Smaug's movie representation!"

Do you know the actor Benedict Cumberbatch? He's a great British actor who will be motion-capturing Smaug and doing his voice (I think he might be voicing the Necromancer too). I think he'll really do justice to the role.

I've been too busy/tired these days cause I've been to a metal festival 3 days straight but I'll get back on track with The Hobbit. I finished the Flies and Spiders chapter.

Maria wrote: "I've been too busy/tired these days cause I've been to a metal festival 3 days straight but I'll get back on track with The Hobbit. I finished the Flies and Spiders chapter."

I think you'll find it easy to finish from that point. Things move pretty fast and furious from there.

Maria wrote: "I've been too busy/tired these days cause I've been to a metal festival 3 days straight but I'll get back on track with The Hobbit. I finished the Flies and Spiders chapter."

one no doubt hated by spider and insect haters :D

Forgot to add that you can read my review here:

My review of The Hobbit

Maria wrote: "Stefan wrote: "Just finished up with Bert, Tom and Bill. I think that I could easily read and enjoy a novella based on the three of them; quite entertaining!"

I read the Roast Mutton chapter on th..."

Yes, would love to know the story on the three trolls and their misadventures! That's a great chapter -- and what I love about The Hobbit is its episodic nature. Each chapter is a little story in its own right.

Anyone else here joining along in the discussion at BookSnobbery? Whole bunch of bloggers slogging through Hobbit and LOTR this summer.

I am reading The Hobbit Enhanced Edition on my Nook Color and I am loving it =) Here is the version The Hobbit

David wrote: "Anyone else here joining along in the discussion at BookSnobbery? Whole bunch of bloggers slogging through Hobbit and LOTR this summer."

Hi David - notifications are a bit patchy, so I've only just seen your post! Well, we're reading The Hobbit here now, and we'll be breezing through LOTR starting early 2013, so as much of a Tolkienista as I am, even I won't be reading them twice so quickly! Others may have more stamina though! :-)

Christine wrote: "I am reading The Hobbitt Deluxe edition on my Nook Color and I am loving it =) Here is the version The Hobbit"


Hi Christine - Thanks for joining the Group read. Feel free to share your thoughts here.

I don't have a Nook, so can you explain what deluxe features you get with a Deluxe Edition?

Michael wrote: "Christine wrote: "I am reading The Hobbitt Deluxe edition on my Nook Color and I am loving it =) Here is the version The Hobbit"


Hi Christine - Thanks for joining the Group read. Feel free to ..."
The Enhanced (Deluxe Edition) basically has different maps and drawings that are not included in the regular edition.

What's the resolution like on your Nook as compared to the printed page? We have a Kindle in the house, but it's monochrome and the images are fairly basic (promise to get back to The Hobbit soon!).

Michael wrote: "What's the resolution like on your Nook as compared to the printed page? We have a Kindle in the house, but it's monochrome and the images are fairly basic (promise to get back to The Hobbit soon!)."

The resolution is very clear compared to a regular printed page. I absolutely love reading on my nook. =)

So I just finished reading the Hobbit for the 5th time, and I have to say it is one of my all time favorite books. The first time I read it was around 1980 when I was around 8 or 9 years old, and it was the first real novel I chose to read on my own, and I read it all in one day from cover to cover. (I thought it was quite a feat for someone so young)

This time I enjoyed every sentence of this book and went through it slowly to soak everything in. I don't want the details in my memory warped by the movie that's coming out which I will be sure to see in the theaters.

I have a copy of the old animated movie version of the Hobbit, and although I have loved it since before I could read, it still doesn't stand up to the book. Tomorrow night I'm going to bring the movie over to my cousin's house to watch with her and her kids for their first time. Maybe if I give them a copy of the book someone will read it to them.

Sean wrote: "So I just finished reading the Hobbit for the 5th time, and I have to say it is one of my all time favorite books. The first time I read it was around 1980 when I was around 8 or 9 years old, and i..."

The Hobbit is a special book to have as a childhood memory. I hope your little cousins get to make friends with Bilbo!

Is there a particular part of the book that you especially like, Sean?

Michael wrote: "Sean wrote: "So I just finished reading the Hobbit for the 5th time, and I have to say it is one of my all time favorite books. The first time I read it was around 1980 when I was around 8 or 9 yea..."

Well I have to say I really love the beginning of the book where we are introduced to Bilbo and his house under the hill and the shire. Surrounded by good people in a place out in the country where real problems seem far away... not to mention the description of his house. Wouldn't it be great to live in a house built into the side of a hill!! It really sounded like the perfect place to live.

After that I would have to say the best part of the book is when Bilbo meets Smaug on his own in the bowels of Lonely Mountain. The truly iconic dragon comes to life; something powerful and fierce.

I have to say the whole book was great though, and that is the reason I just could not put it down as a kid. I also liked the adventures in Mirkwood with the spiders and the encounter with the orcs in the mountains. The meeting with Beorn proves that not everything they meet in the wilderness is bad.

Now I just finished the Children of Hurin, but that is for next months discussion.

I really liked the part with the eagles... damn, I always like those parts in Tolkien :D

Sean - the particular part of the book you especially is all of it! I like the all-inclusiveness of that :-)

Razmatus: The eagles are good, and according to Rateliff in The History of the Hobbit, Part 1: Mr. Baggins, Tolkien found them so, too, to the extent that he had to write them out of certain parts of the story as he felt he was over-relying on them to get the heroes out of trouble.

I just joined the group, but as it happens I'm about halfway through my eleventy-first reading - about to start "Flies and Spiders." I seem to re-read the whole Hobbit and LOTR cycle about every three years (for the past nearly thirty years).

Maria wrote: "I will also start to read this book for the first time on June 01, I can't wait."

" The Hobbit " is great fantasy novel by Tolkien. I read it online at Bookgator.com . I really enjoyed reading.

You can find it at Bookgator for Free.

I think I'm going to go with a toasted veggie-bacon, cheese and mustard sandwich, with a strong cup of tea. Maybe a little cake as well.

Michael wrote: "I think I'm going to go with a toasted veggie-bacon, cheese and mustard sandwich, with a strong cup of tea. Maybe a little cake as well."

share sth with lads!!!

seed cake? :D

Poppyseed muffin, oh yes!