The Hobbit: or There and Back Again

The journey through Middle-earth begins here with J.R.R. Tolkien's classic prelude to his Lord of the Rings trilogy.

"A glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and seasoned with a quiet humor that is irresistible... All those, young or old, who love a fine adventurous tale, beautifully told, will take The Hobbit to their hearts."--The New York Times Book Review

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." So begins one of the most beloved and delightful tales in the English language--Tolkien's prelude to The Lord of the Rings. Set in the imaginary world of Middle-earth, at once a classic myth and a modern fairy tale, The Hobbit is one of literature's most enduring and well-loved novels.

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.

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320 pages

Average rating: 8.43

229 RATINGS

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12 REVIEWS

Community Reviews

mjex19
Jul 18, 2023
10/10 stars
Man, this still holds up
Anonymous
Apr 26, 2023
8/10 stars
I've seen The Lord of the Rings trilogy (and have the most fond memory of skipping a day of school senior year to sit in an almost empty theater to watch The Two Towers) but haven't seen any of The Hobbit movies, read this book, nor read any of the LOTR books. So I knew enough to not be completely and hopelessly lost but not enough where anything felt spoiled.

Bilbo Baggins is my kind of fella. I identify with him on many levels. A little pudgy. A strong desire to stay home, eat, and rest. A reluctance to venture out or put myself in harms way. Once out of my home, quite cranky to get back to it.

So while Bilbo is not a stereotypical hero, he is my kind of hero.

There were parts of this that were a little tedious for me to get through, but the fine details and the varied adventures were enough to make up for it. This world is imaginative and wild and vivid. I had a heckuva good time.

4 Stars
JonMoss
Mar 18, 2023
ScottS0789
Feb 20, 2023
Legendary! 
writing.reverie
Dec 31, 2022
9/10 stars
wholesome and enjoyable. made me feel nostalgic despite being my first time reading it. i will always recommend the hobbit.

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