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The Hobbit, or There and Back Again

J.R.R. Tolkien

Start date: March 1, 2023

Finish date: March 31, 2023

Discussion: High/Epic/Portal Fantasy

Discussion leader: Gem

Why we're reading this: March 2023 Group Read
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Showing 2 of 2 topics — 97 comments total

High/Epic/Portal Fantasy

Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey - September 2024
By Gem , Belle · 12 posts · 9 views

last updated Sep 27, 2024 07:03PM

The Hobbit (The Lord of the Rings #0) by J.R.R. Tolkien - March 2023
By Gem , Belle · 30 posts · 11 views

last updated Apr 07, 2023 11:46AM

What Members Thought

Aug 21, 2016 Cheryl rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Read for group. Holds up well, though if I hadn't loved it so much as a child I'd be giving it only four stars now. Some of my (perhaps slightly spoilery?) comments from the discussion are below:

Bilbo's 'diverse' perspective leads to the success of the mission. So we have many peoples working together, contributing their own strengths to the quest. Elves, Eagles, etc. etc. Even a human, Bard. And of course the thrush, and the ravens, and the ponies (oh the poor ponies).

I wonder if Tolkien, a Bri Read for group. Holds up well, though if I hadn't loved it so much as a child I'd be giving it only four stars now. Some of my (perhaps slightly spoilery?) comments from the discussion are below:

Bilbo's 'diverse' perspective leads to the success of the mission. So we have many peoples working together, contributing their own strengths to the quest. Elves, Eagles, etc. etc. Even a human, Bard. And of course the thrush, and the ravens, and the ponies (oh the poor ponies).

I wonder if Tolkien, a British academic, coming up with this story while the Empire was still strong, was conscious of his 'Multicultural' theme.

So this time through I kept getting distracted by practicalities. The time on the quest doesn't seem to match the calendar, unless their year is more like 500 days long. And what did they drink while in the goblins cave for so long? And what did Smaug eat after he devastated the land 'round the mountain?

I also noticed a lot of lovely & clever uses of language. I was reading in bed and so only managed to note one example, but Tolkien's use of language is why I like his shorter works, and his obsession with world-building & quests is why I don't like LotR. But consider: "Never laugh at live dragons!" First Bilbo literally admonishes himself thus, and eventually it becomes a proverb... because meme.
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Read again for group in March 2023. Even more impressed now. I think that part of the reason that I read it several times in junior high was because it was full of so much wisdom about 'human' nature. After all, books were not only my friends, but also my mentors. (My parents were plenty loving and present but tended to trust us to figure things out ourselves.)

This time what made the most impression on me is how self-centered and short-sighted the dwarves are, and how they abuse Bilbo anytime things go wrong. And yet he forgives them and considers them friends ever after! I am not so patient, myself... but perhaps more forgiving that I would have been, had I never read this....

And I'm glad there was enough wealth to share, because, again, I don't particularly find the dwarves more worthy than the elves or the lake-men.

I have a couple of book-darts but I'll look through GR quotes in lieu of typing them up. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Apr 16, 2013 Misty rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Loved

You want to read something Epic. This is the book. If you haven't read it, you should. If you have read it you should listen to it! This great book to go back to again on a rainy day or on a sunny day. ...more

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Feb 18, 2014 puppitypup rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy

Fantasy Tried to read this in high school and gave up. It seemed, at the time, something only a boy would like. Maybe someday I'll get around to reading it again. ...more

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