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mythmaster
Registered User
Sep 5 2007, 9:52pm
Post #1 of 11
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History of the Hobbit
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Anyone else gotten theirs yet?
The set is beautiful, very well bound with high grade materials & attractive jacket.
I'm about halfway through the Introduction.
Rateliff is mostly poking holes in old cliches. He reaches a little too far here & there*, but the tone so far is authoritative & his points are well made. Looks like it's going to be a compelling read.
I don't see an Official Thread on this: how about putting the discussion here?
*I disagree when Rateliff sees Smaug & Gollum in a Father Xmas Ltr. illustration. They look to me like a generic Tolkienian dragon & a generic goblin, not the aforementioned characters. Otherwise - so far the book is very informative.
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mythmaster
Registered User
Sep 6 2007, 5:07pm
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The book only gets better!
I just finished the original versions of Chapter One. Lots of fascinating material here. References to China, the Hindu Kush & Shetland ponies. Also references to the Book of Lost Tales! Rateliff delves into the very first map sketches. Enormous attention to detail. Now & then Rateliff goes too far, making huge leaps & assumptions, but his enthusiasm is infectious.
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Wynnie
Nargothrond
Sep 6 2007, 5:24pm
Post #3 of 11
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Unfortunately, it hasn't been released in the U.S. yet (due later this month, I believe).
I sit beside the fire and think
of all that I have seen,
of meadow-flowers and butterflies
in summers that have been
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mythmaster
Registered User
Sep 6 2007, 10:25pm
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I got my copy from a friend who is bookseller & has a strong relationship with Houghton Mifflin - I had no idea it wasn't out yet! I guess I'll come back in a month or so! Thanks.
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Tamara
Ossiriand
Sep 18 2007, 2:14pm
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I'm checking to see if Houghton- Mifflin is doing anything special for the release here in Boston. If so, I'm hopeful some of our locals can go and relate their impressions, photos, etc.
---Tamara
Being a "Steward of Harvard" is almost as good as being Steward of Gondor, but I'd still like to visit Minas Tirith.
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mythmaster
Registered User
Sep 18 2007, 2:36pm
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I can't wait to be able to discuss this with other people!
Book One is incredible!
I'm up to "Beorn" ... or "Medwed" as he's called in the early ms :)
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Glamdring
Registered User
Sep 18 2007, 3:54pm
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I ordered the 70th box set..
My question is about the history books. I did not know any thing about these.
Whats in each book? Are the history books just Rateliff giving commentary all the way thru?
I can't find a good review.
thankz.
(This post was edited by Glamdring on Sep 18 2007, 4:02pm)
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N.E. Brigand
Gondolin
Sep 18 2007, 4:22pm
Post #8 of 11
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Also his unfinished revised version of The Hobbit c. 1960. And lots of analysis by Rateliff.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Discuss The Children of Húrin in the Reading Room, June 11-October 14.
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mythmaster
Registered User
Sep 18 2007, 5:49pm
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Vol I: Two proto-novel fragments; complete early Hobbit ms.
Each chapter has Notes & more Notes + analysis (split under subject headings).
Lots of full color reproductions on thick glossy paper!
Vol II: The 1960's "revised" Hobbit + all of the above. The revision gets up to about chapter three, I think.
The books are incredibly well bound & can be left open on a table (for dinner reading!), the paper is thick & creamy, the print crisp & easy to read. The covers are beautiful, featuring reproductions of Tolkien's original sketches on acid free paper. From the Press Release:
The Contents of the book
The History of the Hobbit presents for the first time, in two volumes, the complete unpublished text of the original manuscript of J.R.R.Tolkien’s The Hobbit, his draft of the revision of the Gollum encounter for the second edition, and the fragment of what, if he'd completed it, would have been the third edition of 1960 (a very small amount of which he did use for the actual third edition of 1966), accompanied by John Rateliff's lively and informative account of how the book came to be written and published. As well as recording the numerous changes made to the story both before and after publication, it examines - chapter-by chapter - why those changes were made and how they reflect Tolkien's ever growing concept of Middle-earth.
It provides extensive commentary on the appearance in THE HOBBIT of elements that had already appeared in his earlier 'Silmarillion' writings and the ways in which Bilbo's story draws from the already existing legendarium (and of course ultimately contributed greatly to it). This new book includes many little-known illustrations and previously unpublished maps for The Hobbit by Tolkien himself.
Like Christopher Tolkien’s The History of The Lord of the Rings before it, this is a thoughtful yet exhaustive examination of one of the most treasured stories in English literature. Long overdue for a classic book now celebrating 70 years in print, this companion edition offers fascinating new insights for those who have grown up with this enchanting tale, and will delight those who are about to enter Bilbo's round door for the first time.
The book will be published in two volumes, probably first apart (with one month period in between) and probably later put together in a box (who knows a nice limited edition to celebrate 70 years The Hobbit).
THE HISTORY OF THE HOBBIT: Volume One: Mr Baggins
Includes the first part of the complete original unpublished manuscript version of ‘The Hobbit’ and previously unpublished and rarely-seen maps and illustrations by Tolkien. This volume is announced for 08 May 2007.
THE HISTORY OF THE HOBBIT: Volume Two: Return to Bag-End
This second volume picks up Bilbo Baggins’ story half-way through his journey and
chronicles how, after much adversity, he must still face the mighty dragon, Smaug,
carry out the burglary for which he has been recruited, and return safely home to
Bag-End. This volume is announced for 04 June 2007.
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Crazed_Fan
Registered User
Sep 24 2007, 1:12am
Post #10 of 11
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Have you read the Annotated Hobbit?
It is extremely informative and it helps explain sime of the more confusing parts, it also expands on the Riddles in the Dark chapter....I think it has some of Tolkien's original drwings too!
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N.E. Brigand
Gondolin
Sep 24 2007, 1:56am
Post #11 of 11
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It's an excellent book, I agree, and reportedly it is complemented not superseded by The History of The Hobbit.
You're right, it does contain some of Tolkien's own artwork, as well as illustrations by others.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Discuss The Children of Húrin in the Reading Room, June 11-October 14.
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