The Hobbit: 75th Anniversary Edition

J.R.R. Tolkien

Feb 2012 · Sold by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

About this ebook

This deluxe hardcover edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic prelude to his Lord of the Rings trilogy contains a short introduction by Christopher Tolkien, a reset text incorporating the most up-to-date corrections, and all of Tolkien’s own drawings and full-color illustrations, including the rare “Mirkwood” piece.
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. The period is the ancient time between the age of Faerie and the dominion of men, when the famous forest of Mirkwood was still standing, and the mountains were full of danger. In following the path of this humble adventurer, you will learn by the way (as he did) -- if you do not already know all about these things -- much about trolls, goblins, dwarves, and elves, and get some glimpses into the history and politics of a neglected but important period. For Mr. Bilbo Baggins visited various notable persons; conversed with the dragon, Smaug the Magnificent; and was present, rather unwillingly, at the Battle of the Five Armies. This is all the more remarkable, since he was a hobbit. Hobbits have hitherto been passed over in history and legend, perhaps because they as a rule preferred comfort to excitement. But this account, based on his personal memoirs, of the one exciting year in the otherwise quiet life of Mr. Baggins will give you a fair idea of the estimable people now (it is said) becoming rather rare. They do not like noise."

Ratings and reviews

This is my 5th or 10th time reading "The Hobbit" - I have lost count! The story is still pristine, but this 75th Anniversary e-edition could have been better. The drawings were too small and it was somewhat awkward to navigate. This book is far better than the movies. If you like adventures even a little bit, then you will not be at all disappointed by this fine book.

Seriously, what the crap? Why is all the detail missing? Is this some shortened copy for a quicker read? There's no description of anything and some major plot points don't appear at all... I wanted an e-copy to replace my original lost some time ago and I've made quite a mistake. One star and I'm requesting a refund...

I read this for the first time as a child, a gift from my father. I was intimidated by the size, but "The Hobbit" opened my eyes to adventure. Tolkien apparently had no intentions on adapting a saga from this book; there are a few inconsistent plot devices. The main one is the ring itself. In "The Hobbit", he states the ring of invisibility is of 'Dwarven' make, and in "The Lord of The Rings" he states that the ring was corrupted into a ring of power by Sauron.

About the author

J.R.R. TOLKIEN (1892–1973) is the creator of Middle-earth and author of such classic and extraordinary works of fiction as The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. His books have been translated into more than fifty languages and have sold many millions of copies worldwide.

CHRISTOPHER TOLKIEN (1924–2020) was the third son of J.R.R. Tolkien. Appointed by Tolkien to be his literary executor, he devoted himself to the editing and publication of unpublished writings, notably The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, and The History of Middle-earth.