November/December Book Club Selection: The Hobbit!

[Miriel]

Ok friends, we're less than a month away from the movie release of The Hobbit!

Trailers:




Yaaaay!!

Which means we should hop to it and get crackin' on reading The Hobbit, the much beloved children's classic by Tolkien.

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit— a hairy-footed race of diminutive peoples in J.R.R. Tolkien’s imaginary world of
Middle-earth — and the protagonist of The Hobbit (full title: The Hobbit or There and Back Again), Tolkien’s fantasy novel for children first published in 1937. Bilbo enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling
any farther than his pantry or cellar. He does not seek out excitement or adventure. 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, and entwine his fate with armies of goblins, elves, men and dwarves.

Who's in?

[Shorty]

I'm in! It'll be a nice refresher for when the movie comes out. I was hesitant on this thinking "uuugh I'm so busy for the rest of the year" but damn it, I can finish a book in a few days and get it over with! (failed miserably at les mis but I intend to get this one done)

For those of you who perhaps don't have it or those such as myself who will be reading at work:

The Hobbit - PDF

[Del Murder]

Totally in!

[Jiro]

Hopefully this will be more manageable for me. I'm in.

[CimminyCricket]

I'm in. I remember being read this book in 4th grade. It's what made me fall in love with fantasy settings!

[Miriel]

Just an FYI, there are some subtle and some significant differences between the 1st, 2nd and 3rd editions of The Hobbit.

The 2nd and 3rd editions were revised by Tolkien to fall more closely in line with the mythology he presented in The Lord of the Rings. The most significant change is that in the original Hobbit, the encounter with Gollum is completely different from the characterization of Gollum in the later revisions as well as in the Lord of the Rings.

I personally read the 2nd edition when I first read the book in the 6th grade, so that's the one I'll stick to.

[Del Murder]

If I was a cave troll, I'd never go outside. Too risky.

Is anyone else reading this with me?

[Shorty]

A little late starting, but starting nonetheless!

[Del Murder]

I remember vaguely that the nature of the elves evolved during Tolkien's works. In the Hobbit they appear much more mischievous and less solemn.

Also, Rivendell isn't described as nearly as fantastical as it was in LotR as I recall. They must have made renovations.

[fire_of_avalon]

I did not realize this was happening.

[Del Murder]

Never too late to start!

As I'm reading this I imagine reading it to my future children and it makes me happy.

[Shorty]

That is adorable. foa, you have all of December!

I'm still on the first chapter because I've had so little time, goddamn it. Getting through more today!

[Miriel]

The Hobbit is so funny. I'm literally laughing out loud at certain bits.

[Araciel]

Start tonight.

[Del Murder]

He lost his buttons.