The Hobbit

Leroy - This, is the pinnacle of writing, the holy grail of the fantasy genre. The book that started it all. Bilbo Baggins is an ordinary hobbit. He lives in The Shire- a place filled with nature, good food, and- of course- many, many hobbits. Now, hobbits are not just small humans, but they are...well, hobbits. Around 3 feet tall or so, they are peaceful folk, They have large appetites and eat around 7 times a day. They have hairy feet and a love of nature. When a mysterious wizard named Gandalf comes to Bilbo's house, he did not expect to go on an adventure of a lifetime. He finds his house filled with hungry dwarves, an old wizard and a mysterious key and map. After a meeting with said crew, he embarks on an adventure to help the dwarf Thorin Oakenshield reclaim The Lonely Mountain- the dwarven palace and homeland- from the clutches of Smaug, an evil dragon who keeps all the riches for himself and has a taste for dwarves. Will they ever succeed in their quest? Or will Smaug get the better of them? Only you can find out by reading this very book.

October 1, 2001
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 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.