Publisher description for The history of the Hobbit / John D. Rateliff.
Bibliographic record and links to related information available from the Library of Congress catalog
Information from electronic data provided by the publisher. May be incomplete or contain other coding.
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 first wrote to read aloud to his young sons as part of their "fireside reads." For the 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version of one of literature's most famous stories, and includes many little-known illustrations and previously unpublished maps for The Hobbit created by Tolkien himself.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.
Library of Congress subject headings for this publication:
Tolkien, J. R. R. -- (John Ronald Reuel), -- 1892-1973. -- Hobbit.
Tolkien, J. R. R. -- (John Ronald Reuel), -- 1892-1973 -- Technique.
Fantasy fiction, English -- History and criticism.
Middle Earth (Imaginary place)
Baggins, Bilbo (Fictitious character)