The Hobbit

[Fatty]

When i first read The Hobbit, which was after I read Lord of the Rings. I didn;t like it much....thoght it a bit childis etc.

However, now when I read it I get a really good fairytale feeling from it. You know a good Nordic vibe.

What about you?

[Gil-Galad]

I read The Hobbit first, so it has always had a place in my heart. It is not as good as LOTR, but i still like it!

[Ronin]

have to say that i read this before LOTR as well. i was a bit too young for LOTR at that point, so The Hobbit was a perfect fit for me. wonderfully childish but the hint of so much more....really is for both adults and children. if more simplistic in delivery than LOTR.

[Falmon]

You have to remember the book was written for children. It has to be one of the greatest children's stories every written.

[PrinceImrahil]

My dad first read me The Hobbit in Kindergarten. So it was just right for my feeble, childich mind. And even as I grow older, I love to flip through it. It will always be one of the greatest stories ever.:thumbs:

[Illuvatar]

In fact, I just finished re-reading it again last night!!:cool:

With all the other "heady" stuff to read by Tolkien, every once in awhile I feel that I have to be "read to" instead of almost studying! That's why the Hobbit appeals to me so much, I feel like The Professor is tell ME a bedtime story. :gaga:

My current flavour of the month is Unfinished Tales, and after 'studying' through a chapter and a half, I REALLY needed to be read to!! :cool:

[Mirkgirl]

The order of my reading was LotR, TS, TH and after TS I saw TH in light that even Tolkien never thought it would be ever seen... and actually I admire TH more than TS or LotR (or UT even, my even-I-don't-know-why favourite) as it takes a lot to put all the deep meanings and make an entertaining children's book at the same time (as we speak most of the fairytales scare me more than a horror story, what's the major difference between the witch who eats children and Hanibal?!? I'd prefer Hannibal myself.)

Tolkien succeeded in making a book which is enjoyable for the children and a nice bedtime read for adults too, as it shows a world so close to reality and so unreal in the same moment, which can be said for LotR too. But the difference is that no one actually saves the whole world and no one is that exceptional (or maybe is more than exceptional).

Kind of hard to follow, but I hope you get the main string

[Beregond]

I read it before LOTR, and actually I had my mom read it to me (I was young, gimme a break . . . of that kit kat bar.) It was really cool because we read it real slowly and it was this big adventure that spanned a year (because we took so long reading it) and I never knew what was going to happen next. The same thing with LOTR except it took seven years for my mom to read it to me. lol The Hobbit does seem a lot more childish after reading LOTR, but it makes me feel nostalgic whenever I read it and I like that a lot. I have to read it this year for summer reading, but I probably won't have to because I basically have the whole thing memorized lol, but I'm going to anyway just for the fun of it. Take a trip down memory lane . . .

[A! Elbereth]

hehehe It only me took me 2 weeks to read Lord of the Ringslol My mom would walk by me while i was reading and yell "OBSESSION!" and then leave.....rofl (dont ask me why) When i finished she was like OMG! THANK GOD YOUR DONE!...well yeah I think I'll read it again now :flamer::flamer::flamer::flamer::flamer::flamer: :flamer:

Ya know that is my favorite Smiley :flamer:

[Mirkgirl]

no one ever read to me... except for my grandma once when I was sick... but that was a book I knew and actually a bit irritating, but my eyes hurt for some reason and I wanted to read...

Well off topic, but I feel nostalgic :birthday:

[Beregond]

No one ever read to you? That's so sad! Geez, you're deprived. Threaten to cecede from your family if they don't read to you. (That is, if you're still living with them)

[Mirkgirl]

Actually I don't want to colour the last months with such demands, I'd just take that I was too smart to have someone reading to me ;) (and it takes forever to wait, I've been a fast reader all my life).

and actually now I remember I took TH from the library when I was little (but after LotR) and couldn't make myself to read it, but later I enjoyed it...

[Beregond]

It's cool how we all can appreciate a children's book so much. It shows how even books written for younger kids should not be ignored by older people and can still be a great story to read.

[PrinceImrahil]

Speaking of which...THE RUNAWAY BUNNY IS THE GREATEST BABY BOOK EVER!
Sorry, that just to me to me out of nowhere...

I agree that it is Truly amazing that we can all disuss a children's book like this. Of course, we all are Tolkien nuts and that might have something to do with it...

[Beregond]

Fatty, I suggest you make a "The Runaway Bunny" section of the forums, where we can discuss this enlightening book.

[PrinceImrahil]

You've got my vote!:thumbs:

[Illuvatar]

I believe that the "Other Books" section in The Library of Minas Tirith would probably suffice for those topics.

[Bonos-Girl]

no-one ever read to me either, but then again i started reading at quite an early age whereas my brothre wanted me to read to him when he was 10, i read the hobbit when i went to france with an old au pair for 2 1/2 weeks, i was soo bored coz no-one spoke english that i read it 8 or nine times. I loved it sooo much, i started reading it again last night and i still really like it.

[Pil]

I'm reading it to my little bro of nine...he loves it! I can see him being a little minature me...tolkien fan to the end!!!! :hooray: :p

[Bonos-Girl]

awwww...actually, why the hell am i saying this..i know your brother...and i don't really like little kids that much (understatement!!!)

[Pil]

Would anybody mind if i got onto the topic of the eagles in the hobbit? :p

[Illuvatar]

I wouldn't think so.....the Eagles played more of an important part of the Hobbit than they did in LOTR.

So...I would say...discuss away, or start a thread concerning "Eagles in the Hobbit" in Tolkiens' Other Works......

Either way mate! ;)

[Pil]

Cool! Well, i think that the eagles were an EXTREMEMLY important part of, as Illu says, BOTH The Hobbit and LOTR. The times when i can remember of the top of my head when they are of some service are as follows...

1. Save gandalf, bilbo and dwarves from the wolves and goblins.
2. Take the above mentioned nearer to their eyrie (sp?!) and feed them.
3. Take the above mentioned to the carrock, nearer to mirkwood.
4. Make a large, influential contribution to the battle of the five armies...when bilbo blacks out he can hear people shout 'the eagles are coming!'
5. Save gandalf from orthanc.
6. Pick up gandalf from moria.
7. Make their much needed contribution to the battle outside the gates of mordor...when pippin blacks out he can hear people shout 'the eagles are coming' and he thinks of bilbo (c above)
8. Pick up sam and frodo from mount doom.

I think we can conclude that the eagles' contribution has been vital and extremely influential in the war of the ring.

Still unconvinced? Simply think "No eagles = No gandalf" and maybe you will reconsider, for "No gandalf" would have most probably meant "No defeat of sauron". :angel: :p

[Bethberry]

Just out of curiosity and interest in developing discussion, what are the qualities of The Hobbit which make it a children's book?

*lies down on the bank of the Withywindle and watches the water flow by, waiting for responses*

Bethberry

[Pil]

My topic not good enough for you? :mmmm:

[HobbitFriend]

lol what else is there to say Pil... we all agree! (well i do anyway) The Eagles were definately important and you've got good points... with Gandalf n all. The Eagles saved his life many times and also Bliblo, Frodo, Sam, and the Dwarves.

As for what Bethberry was saying... I don't know why they consider it a "children's" book. I think it's great for ALL ages! hey, i just read The Hobbit this Summer and i'm not a "child" You could read that book over and over again (same as with LotR) and still get more out of it. Tolkien was a great story-teller!

[Pil]

It IS funny how it got that reputation...i enjoy reading it just as much as my aunty or younger brother. It's a real 'all people's' book. :thumbs: :p

[Bawax]

i wasn't such a fan o the eagles, i know they made a huge impact in tolkiens books but they lacked personality and wasn't concerntrated on enough. beorn did a lot less and in my opinion but i liked him more the the eagles because his character was looked at in more depth. :)

[HobbitFriend]

My favorite part in The Hobbit was when the Dwarves were captured by the Spiders and Bilbo saved them. Another one of my favorite chapters was "Roast Mutton" when they encounter the Trolls.

[Bawax]

if i had to pick myfavorite bit from the hobbit it would have to have been bilbos situation with the trolls.

"burrahobbits"

so stoopid, it made me laugh. lol lol

[HobbitFriend]

lol roflmao lol i am reading The Hobbit to my "5yr-old friend" who i babysit and after i read that part she goes running around "i'm a burrahobbit!! I'm a furry burrahobbit!" lol it was wicked funny... she's such a cutey! - following in my Tolkien-loving "book-steps" :read:

[Bawax]

hehehe, my nephew has just read that chapter and he did it too, it must be a kid thing, he is only 7. :grin:

i never got to do that cause i was too old when i read the hobbit. mecry ;)

[Pil]

Burrahobbit! Priceless! :thumbs: lol