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Summary: Very enjoyable
Review: This is the unabridge verison of the book very enjoyable to listen to particularly because the songs are all sung instead of just read. My 4th grade daughter has reading problems but wanted to read the books after having seen the movies and this was a way to let her enjoy it without stumbling over pronunciations.
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Summary: The Hobbit (Leatherette Collector's Edition)
Review: I have just finished reading The Hobbit for the seventh time. The first time was after my freshman year in college in 1965, the next four times during the ensuing ten years, and the sixth time with my children in 1990. After so much time spent with this book, reading it was more like remembering than discovering. With all the hype surrounding the release of the movies, I decided to revisit Middle Earth. Since my dog-eared paperback copy disappeared long ago, I decided to purchase the "Leatherette Collector's Edition" published by Houghton Mifflin, and I am glad I did. This very nice edition contributed to my enjoyment of revisiting my old friends. The heavy paper, nice green line at the top of each page, and beautiful typography definitely enhance the overall experience. The only negative I found with the book was the illustrations, which are "by the author", who was a much better author than illustrator. The drawings and watercolors have historical interest, but do little to add to the experience.
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Summary: Review of The Hobbit
Review: The Hobbit is a story about a hobbit named Bilbo. He is invited to go on a journey with thirteen dwarves who are going to their homeland to reclaim the land and their gold. The main character is Bilbo, who is afraid to take risks and likes to keep to himself. The head of the dwarves is Thorin, who leads the others to the gold. A wizard named Gandalf helps Bilbo and the dwarves on their journey. Bilbo acts as a burglar for the dwarves and rescues the dwarves in a lot of situations. The dwarves lead the way to the mountain to get the gold. Gandalf acts as a protector and advice giver to Bilbo and the dwarves. The characters run into a lot of trouble and adventures in the story. Each trouble is an adventure in the story like when the dwarves get caught by bad guys like goblins and spiders. They also fight a big battle with five armies. In all of the adventures Bilbo rescues the dwarves. My favorite character in the story was Gandalf because he was very powerful, and he was very wise. I can't really relate to any of the characters, except Bilbo, because he likes to stay at home all by himself. I also like to stay by myself too, so I can do whatever I want without anyone telling me what to do. I really liked the book; I thought the book was very imaginative. My favorite part of the book was at the beginning when the author described Bilbo's house in detail as if I were really there looking at it. If I could change a part in the book, I would have the dwarves-instead of Bard-kill the dragon. I recommend this book because it is a really good book. I think the kind of people who would like this book are people, who like fantasy and adventure stories.
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Summary: The Hobbit
Review: The Hobbit
By J.R.R. Tolkien Fiction/Fantasy Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Gray leave the Shire in a quest for a dragon and its treasure but along the way Bilbo finds a treasure very unexpected. Bilbo is a little Hobbit (a Hobbit is a very small person that lives in a hole in the ground) only a few feet tall and Gandalf the Gray is a very tall wizard who is very powerful. The characters are motivated by all the troubles that they undergo in the book but the keep going on & on. This author has made very many famous books in his career, the hobbit is the prequal to the Lord of the Rings book series. J.R.R. Tolkien's style is very fictional with a very high vocabulary.
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Summary: The Hobbit (Leatherette Collector's Edition
Review: The book was very good at putting you in the middle of the story and the picture made the book form a life of it's own.
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Summary: Middle-Earth, the first story told...
Review: "The Hobbit or There and Back Again" is the first story of Middle-Earth that was ever read by the masses, and it remains a beloved favorite due to Tolkien's exceptional writing, lovable characters, and the fantastic, complicated world with its unlikely hero, a tiny fuzzy-footed hobbit. Bilbo Baggins lives a pleasantly stodgy and dull life in the Shire, in a luxurious hole under a hill. ("It was a hobbit hole, and that means comfort") His life is completely turned upside-down by the arrival of the wizard Gandalf and thirteen dwarves. The dwarves, led by the exiled king-in-waiting Thorin Oakenshield, want to regain the Lonely Mountain (and a lot of treasure) from the dragon Smaug, who drove out the dwarves long ago. Why do they want Bilbo? Because Gandalf has told them that he'd make a good burglar. So before Bilbo is entirely sure what is going on, he is being swept off on a very unrespectable adventure. Bilbo and the Dwarves battle goblins and spiders, are nearly eaten twice, are captured and Bilbo is forced to riddle with the treacherous, withered Gollum. But even after these obstacles, the dragon Smaug is still in the Lonely Mountain, and Bilbo is not entirely sure what to do... Author J.R.R. Tolkien had been crafting his mythos of Elves, Dwarves, Wizards and Men for years before writing "The Hobbit," but "The Hobbit" is the first story that people had the opportunity to read. It began as a line scrawled on a sheet of blank paper, and then into a bedtime story for his children. And even though it's overshadowed by "Lord of the Rings" and "Silmarillion," this book is an essential link. It's definitely sillier and lighter, but it provides the springboard for a lot of the stuff in "Lord of the Rings" -- especially the magical Ring that Bilbo finds in Gollum's cavern. The concept of hobbits started in this book -- the quintessential peaceful "wee" people, based on British countryfolk, with simple pleasures and unexpected depths of strength and resourcefulness. And, of course, fuzz on their large feet. Tolkien's Elves are a little more ethereal and less dignified, and his dwarves are a bit more comical and less grim. But Elrond hints at the full majesty of the Elves, and Thorin Oakenshield is still the most dignified, proud and impressively flawed dwarf there is. The last chapters of the book hint at the epic majesty of "Lord of the Rings," and some of the same victory/loss themes. And of course, the idea that even little people -- like a hobbit or a bird -- can change the world. Tolkien's writing is quick and light, while providing sufficient detail to let you picture what's going on. The dialogue is less influenced by Old English, and the pace is a lot faster (not surprising, since it was originally read to his kids before bedtime). Bilbo is a likable little guy -- he seems to be the last person whom you'd expect to be a courageous hero, but he shows incredibly strength and smarts when he's under pressure. Supporting characters like Thorin, Bard the Guardsman-turned-King, the king of the wood-elves, and even Smaug himself are never cookie-cutter, but multidimensional and immensely interesting to read about. "The Hobbit" was written for children, but adults can appreciate and enjoy it just as much. So read this book, then scoop up "The Fellowship of the Ring" and continue reading. A timeless treasure and classic.
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Summary: Book Review for The Hobbit
Review: The Hobbit is a delightful tale about a single hobbit named Bilbo Baggins, who breaks away from his normal, every-day hobbit-life to go on an adventure. Not that he exactly wanted to go on any adventures, which are very frowned upon by the hobbit society, mind you, but the crafty wizard Gandalf rather tricked him into it. So, Bilbo left behind his normal life and hobbit-hole and joined his companions to start their journey, "one fine morning just before May." Throughout the story, I really enjoyed reading J.R.R. Tolkien's descriptions of people, objects, and even situations. The descriptions really allowed a reader to draw a fantastic picture in his head, while, at the same time, didn't put up too many walls or restrictions as to not allow much, if any, room for variations in different people's perceptions. From his head-to-toe description of a hobbit to his inside-and-out description of the Baggins' residence, Mr. Tolkien really makes the reader become a part of the story through his descriptions. I also liked the plot line in its entirety. Mr. Tolkien was able to keep things moving and keep the reader wanting to read, but, also, allow some parts to be less action oriented through his use of suspense. He didn't make the characters run into problems left and right during every leg of their journey, yet he wouldn't slow things down so much that he would cause the reader to lose interest either. The last thing I would like to point out that I liked in particularly was Mr. Tolkien's use of riddles in different parts of the story. In fact, Bilbo and Gollum's "Riddles in the Dark" chapter was one of my favorite parts of the book. I found it very fun, though also very challenging at times, to play along and try to figure out each riddle before reading on to see if I was correct. Also, another riddling part of the book that I enjoyed was when Bilbo spoke to Smaug in a very riddling manner. Though I liked most of Mr. Tolkien's style of writing and use of riddles, I found some parts a little hard to follow at times. "There a warm welcome was made them..." is one example. Not that it was necessarily all that hard to follow, more so that I don't hear talk like that very often, and it was a little odd to hear at first. Now, like I said, The Hobbit is about Mr. Bilbo Baggins who is pulled away from his home in The Hill and ventures past The Water when Thorin and Company hires him as a burglar. Everything starts out well enough and they make their way towards their destination. But, things make a turn for the worse when they run into three rather unpleasant fellows in the woods. They manage to push on, though, and get a nice rest, thanks to Elrond, before running into their next hardship. I'm talking, of course, about their run-in with a not-so-nice crowd on the Misty Mountains. Yet, somehow, they even manage to make it though that little skirmish, and Bilbo even picks up a little something along the way. However, Bilbo and the gang are far from safe, even after getting away from those whose acquaintances they had made on the Misty Mountains. Yes, once they had escaped the dangers of the Misty Mountains, they really found themselves up a tree! But, luckily, thanks to a little outside help, they made it safely to the home of Beorn, where they stayed for a short time before venturing further. All this and poor Bilbo and his companions still haven't made their way through the awful Mirkwood Forest, the marshes on the far side of it, or the valley of Dale, where the Lonely Mountain and the terrible Smaug himself awaited! Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I would have to say that it's the best book that I have read, to this day. I would recommend this book to all who enjoy action, adventure, suspense, and a good plot line. However, I would also recommend that those who do decide to read The Hobbit have a good imagination and brush up on their knowledge of certain fantastical creatures, such as dwarves, elves, trolls, goblins, and wargs, a bit.
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Summary: Great Illustrations! A Beautiful Book
Review: Whereas other reviews have focused on Tolkien's excellent story, I want to recommend Alan Lee's fantastic illustrations. Lee was one of two Tolkien illustrators called by Peter Jackson for the making of the trilogy film, The Lord of the Rings. His brilliance shines through in the recreation of Rivendell and the warm feel of Hobbiton. As a life-long fan of the Lord of the Rings, I have never been disappointed by Lee's interpretation of a scene or character. His artistic skill hits the mark dead center every time on every concept. In fact, this is one artist of a few (if not the only one) who are officially recognized by Tolkien's estate as a bard of Middle Earth. Therefore, the illustrations in this beautiful edition of a great book by the 20th century's best author are bound to appeal to you as you read it. In this book, the arguing trolls are just as I've imagined them, and the dwarves are like real people, not plump bodies with noses the size of their heads. The eagles, too, are glorious. I heartily recommend this edition of Tolkien's wonderful fantasy!
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Summary: Book Review for The Hobbit
Review: J.R.R. Tolkien displays a magnificent tale of a little person on a big adventure. The Hobbit tells about a hobbit that goes on an adventure with many perils. A hobbit is a creature that is about three feet tall. They don't wear shoes because the bottom of their feet is leathery. The top of their feet are covered in thick hair.
Bilbo Baggins is the main character in the book. He goes on an adventure with twelve dwarves and a wizard. It all started when Bilbo was sitting outside of his house enjoying some tea when an old wizard walked up to his hobbit-hole, and asked if Bilbo would like to go on an adventure. Bilbo was taken aback and said he would never want to go on adventure. Then, Bilbo abruptly got up and ran inside his house and locked the door. Bilbo then firmly told the wizard to leave. The wizard just smirked and scratched a symbol on Bilbo's newly painted green door.
The next day Bilbo heard a knock at his door, when he opened it he saw a dwarf standing there. The dwarf said, "Dwalin at your service!" Bilbo was shocked. He had never seen a dwarf before. Bilbo remembered his manners when he saw the dwarf and said, "Sorry to keep you waiting!" After a while, all of the dwarf's friends showed up. They all convinced Bilbo to go on their adventure with them. So he did. Bilbo was faced with many perils on the journey and overcame all of them.
Overall, the book is excellent and full of heart-stopping danger. If you like books with swords, monsters, and treasure, then this is the book for you!
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Summary: Very nice presentation
Review: In the only unabridged recording of the text, the reader provides an excellent voice to the masterpiece. Highly recommmended.
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