The Annotated Hobbit (Advance Uncorrected Proof)

J.R.R. Tolkien; Douglas A. Anderson (introduction and notes)
Published Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1988

This Book is in Near Fine Condition. Quarto (11" x 8.5"), 337 pp.
Pages remain clean and unmarked; spine, uncreased.

From the Preface, "In compiling this annotated edition of The Hobbit, I have relied heavily on tolkien's own writings, particularly his letters but also anything dating from before or around the time when The Hobbit was produced."

A fascinating and informative history along with the further corrected text of the 3rd Edition of 1966, the last edition that contained corrections by the author.

Reprints the original First Edition text from Chapter 5: Riddles in the Dark and several of Tolkien's early poems.

Douglas A. Anderson's The Annotated Hobbit is the definitive explication of the sources, characters, places, and things of J.R.R. Tolkien's timeless classic. Integrated with Anderson's notes and placed alongside the fully restored and corrected text of the original story are more than 150 illustrations showing visual interpretations of The Hobbit specific to many of the cultures that have come to know and love Tolkien's Middle-earth. Tolkien's original line drawings, maps and color paintings are also included, making this the most lavishly informative edition of The Hobbit available.

The Annotated Hobbit shows how Tolkien worked as a writer, what his influences and interests were, and how these relate to the invented world of Middle-earth. It gives a valuable overview of Tolkien's life and the publishing history of The Hobbit, and explains how every feature of The Hobbit fits within the rest of Tolkien's invented world. Here we learn how Gollum's character was revised to accommodate the true nature of the One Ring, and we can read the full text of The Quest of Erebor, Gandalf's explanation of how he came to send Bilbo Baggins on his journey with the dwarves. Anderson also makes meaningful and often surprising connections to our own world and literary history -- from Beowulf to The Marvellous Land of Snergs, from the Brothers Grimm to C. S. Lewis.

This handsome edition of the classic also includes bibliography and linguistic and source materials and a map of Wilderland.

A phenomenal adjunct to any Tolkien collection.

Digital photo's available, inquire if interested.

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