The Annotated Hobbit Author:J.R.R. Tolkien There is something for everyone in this annotated edition of one of the most popular books of this century. General readers, fans of children's literature, and devotees of fantasy will appreciate this comprehensive gloss on "The Hobbit," which delves into its scholarly roots in folklore, mythology, and language. — Many of Tolkien's own illustrat... more »ions embellish the text, and numerous illustrations from foreign editions exhibit a fascinating range of visual interpretation.
For hardcore Tolkien fans and scholars, an appendix details all of Tolkien's revisions made at various times to the published text and provides an uncommon glimpse into the special concerns of an exceptional and painstaking writer:
"The Hobbit" is an ideal book for annotation, for it can be enjoyed on many levels. Foremost, it is a wonderful story, and yet it is only a small part of the vast history of Tolkien's imagined world of Middle-earth, more fully realized in "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Silmarillion." It is the showcase of a man who amused himself during the writing of a story for his children by drawing on his own scholarly erudition.« less