"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Bilbo Baggins was his name. What is a hobbit? They are a little people. They are inclined to be fat in the stomach; they dress in bright colours (chiefly in green and yellow): wear no shoes, have long clever brown fingers, good-natured faces, and laugh deep fruity laughs."

Hobbits are friendly folk, but skilful and quick-witted too, and Bilbo needs all his ingenuity if he is ever to return from his thrilling and sometimes funny adventures. For in The Hobbit Bilbo joins Gandalf the Wizard and a band of dwarves on a quest to plunder the treasure of the terribly dangerous dragon, Smaug the Magnificent.

First published in 1937, The Hobbit is one of the few real classics of English children's literature. A story to stand beside Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Wind in the Willows and Watership Down. And while the book recently voted the most popular of the 20th Century might need no introduction, The Hobbit nevertheless is one to The Lord of the Rings, for that novel is the epic sequel to this, smaller, simpler, but no less enjoyable tale. Here are the first steps where "roads go ever ever on", until one day we come to journey's end, changed forever by JRR Tolkien's enchanted way with words. This is the special 60th anniversary edition, with 65 beautiful and finely-detailed illustrations by Alan Lee, including 26 colour plates. Really, every child, of every age, should own one.--Gary S. Dalkin

The first softback edition of the superb illustrated edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's enduring classic. J.R.R. Tolkien's great classic work, The Hobbit, celebrated its 60th year of publication (1937) with a gorgeous illustrated edition by artist Alan Lee, winner of the Kate Greenaway medal for illustration, and creator of the fabulously successful Centenary edition of The Lord of the Rings. Containing 22 full colour illustrations depicting key scenes from this all-time classic (scenes such as Gollum and Bilbo, The Wargs, Smaug the Dragon and The Battle of the Five Armies), this beautiful volume also includes a wealth of integrated pencil drawings which demonstrate perfectly Alan's genius at work.

2003-11-01 QUALITY!

True quality is difficult to find: this is a rare book... enough said?... well, if you like LotR the you'll LOVE this. I, personally, believe this book to be better than it... but why take my word? Seriously, I you should buy this book... its great.