by J.R.R.Tolkien (Author), J. R. R. Tolkien (Author)
The definitive edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's most beloved book, sporting a facsimile of his original cover design and complete with colour plates of his own paintings, brand new reproductions of all his drawings, and colour versions of both maps. Bilbo Baggins enjoys a quiet and contented life, with no desire to travel far from the comforts of home; then one day the wizard Gandalf and a band of dwarves arrive unexpectedly and enlist his services - as a burglar - on a dangerous expedition to raid the treasure-hoard of Smaug the dragon. Bilbo's life is never to be the same again. Seldom has any book been so widely read and loved as JRR Tolkien's classic tale, The Hobbit. Since its first publication in 1937 it has remained in print to delight each new generation of readers all over the world, and its hero, Bilbo Baggins, has taken his place among the ranks of the immortals: Alice, Pooh, Toad...
Format: hardcover
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published:
ISBN 10: 0261103288
ISBN 13: 9780261103283
Book Overview: Marking 70 years since publication, the definitive edition of JRR Tolkien's first book, sporting a facsimile of his original cover design and complete with fold-out maps and his own drawings and paintings. / The most successful of all Tolkien titles, 'The Hobbit' has been translated into almost 50 languages and sold over 100 million copies / Read by each new generation since publication in 1937 / Winner of the Keith Barker Millennium Book Award for most significant children's books of the century, as voted for by the Library Association: School Libraries and Youth Libraries Group, and the School Library Association / Contains newly reset and fully corrected definitive text, and packaged to match the definitive 50th anniversary Lord of the Rings editions and the new 'The Children of Hurin'. / Includes Tolkien's two-colour fold-out maps, black and white line drawings and colour paintings, which do not feature in current paperback editions. / The perfect gift edition -- in anticipation of the forthcoming Hobbit movie. / Publicity and marketing coverage will be extensive on the back of the launch of the new book 'Children of Hurin' published in April 07. Activity includes a newly designed consumer focused website www.tolkien.co.uk, online promotions and 3rd party partnerships.
Prizes: Runner-up for The BBC Big Read Top 100 2003 and The BBC Big Read Top 21 2003. Shortlisted for BBC Big Read Top 100 2003.
`The Hobbit belongs to a very small class of books which have nothing in common save that each admits us to a world of its own. Its place is with Alice and The Wind in the Willows.' Times Literary Supplement
`One of the best loved characters in English fiction... a marvellous fantasy adventure' Daily Mail
`Finely written saga of dwarves and elves, fearsome goblins and trolls... an exciting epic of travel, magical adventure, working up to a devastating climax' The Observer
J.R.R.Tolkien (1892-1973) was a distinguished academic, though he is best known for writing The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, plus other stories and essays. His books have been translated into 50 languages and have sold many millions of copies worldwide. The Children of Hurin was published for the first time in 2007.