The Hobbit

by J.R.R. Tolkien

THE STIRRING ADVENTURE THAT BEGINS THE GREATEST FANTASY EPIC OF OUR TIME.

When Thorin Oakenshield and his band of dwarves embark upon a dangerous quest to reclaim their home from the ruthless dragon Smaug, Gandalf the wizard suggests an unlikely accomplice: Bilbo Baggins, an unassuming Hobbit dwelling in peaceful Hobbiton.

As they journey from the wonders of Rivendell to the terrors of Mirkwood and beyond, Bilbo discovers within himself unexpected qualities of courage and cunning. And with each step, a newfound love of adventure propels him toward his great destiny . . . a destiny that waits in the dark caverns beneath the Misty Mountains, where a twisted creature known as Gollum jealously guards a precious magic ring.

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892, in Bloemfontein, South Africa. After serving in World War I, he embarked upon a distinguished academic career and was recognized as one of the finest philologists in the world. He was a professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford, a fellow of Pembroke College, and a fellow of Merton College until his retirement in 1959. He is, however, beloved throughout the world as the creator of Middle-earth and author of such classic works as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. He died on September 2, 1973, at the age of eighty-one.