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Type of bind: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.912
EAN num: 9780618968473
ISBN number: 0618968474
Label: Houghton Mifflin
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 512
Printing Date: September 21, 2007
Publishing house: Houghton Mifflin
Sale Popularity Level: 144132
Studio: Houghton Mifflin
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Product Description:
First published in 1938, The Hobbit is a story that 'grew in the telling,' and many characters and events in the published book are completely different from what Tolkien very first wrote to read aloud to his young sons as part of their 'fireside reads.' For the very first time, The History of the Hobbit reproduces the original version of one of literature's most famous stories, and includes many little-known illustrations and previously unpublished maps for The Hobbit created by Tolkien himself. Also featured are extensive annotations and commentaries on the date of composition, how Tolkien's professional and early mythological writings influenced the story, the imaginary geography he created, and how he came to revise the book in the years after publication to accommodate events in The Lord of the Rings.
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Rated by buyers -
For those who loved their journey from Hobbiton, across Mirkwood, to the Lonely Mountain and back, "The History of The Hobbit," by John Rateliff is a delight - even better than a second Breakfast. You will relive the very first pleasure of reading about that most excellent and audacious Mr. Bilbo Baggins in early drafts by Tolkien.
We find that the wizard Galdalf was very first named Bladorthin. Thorin was originally named Gandalf, the dwarf. Even Smaug was once Pryftan. Why these names evolved and much much more make "The History of the Hobbit," a great read for mere fans, philologists, as well as certified literary critics of Professor Tolkien.
Each chapter-length section of early drafts by Tolkien is enhanced with excellent text notes about these fragments. Following these sections of The Hobbit, Rateliff presents notes on the characters, geography, and types of magic encountered in Middle Earth.
Because these commentaries are so engrossing, it is tempting to jump around. If you are a riddle-lover, than jumping to the chapter on Gollum is a must. Rateliff provides sumptuous and intriguing tidbits about riddles written in Old English as well as in Mother Goose. If the background of the Ring tickles your wonderment, then we find sources ranging from Plato's Republic to H.G. Wells' Invisible Man, as well as many other influences.
Like the winding path Bilbo takes, under mountains and through the air, readers of "The History of The Hobbit," will find that they will want to visit all the spots that Bilbo did with greater understanding and renewed joy.
Rated by buyers -
J.R.R. Tolkien must be among the most heavily analyzed of twentieth century writers. His drafts and redrafts of his Middle earth legendarium, in some cases dating back to his years in service during World War I, have been published as The History of Middle-earth by his son and literary executor Christopher Tolkien. Through their multiple volumes students can trace the evolution of Tolkien's world. Until now, however, we have been unable to trace the story of the work which made Tolkien and Middle-earth well known to the general public. John D. Rateliff, after many years of patient scholarship, has now filled that gap with The History of the Hobbit.
Mr. Baggins is the very first of two volumes in The History of the Hobbit, and readers should buy it with its companion Return to Bag End at the same time. The second volume starts with page 469, and there is no Index in Volume I, for example. Mr. Rateliff has identified five phases in the writing of The Hobbit. Mr. Baggins covers the very first and most of the second phases. Practically every word Tolkien wrote is printed, with extensive and fascinating notes and short essays by Mr. Rateliff interpolated with Tolkien's text. Colored plates showing some of Tolkien's sketches and maps are included, too.
The early versions of The Hobbit are startling, to say the least. Bilbo Baggins walks out of his hobbit hole one morning to meet the wizard Bladorthin, who brings thirteen dwarves led by their chieftain Gandalf to visit him. Bilbo is strongarmed into becoming the dwarves' burglar, charged with recovering an immense treasure from the dragon Pryftan. People who have read the published Hobbit will recognize that the essential story is present, but with many variations and false starts which Tolkien eventually straightened out.
The text notes and short essays provided by Rateliff are absolutely fascinating. They include discussions on the nature of elves, the origins of the word bilbo, magic rings from Plato onwards, and the influence the Dr. Dolittle series and the Tolkien children's love for bears had on the construction of The Hobbit.
This volume ends with Bilbo and the dwarves' arrival in Laketown. Again, be sure to buy Volume II at the same time as Volume I, because you'll want to keep reading!
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