The Hobbit: Celebrating Its 75th Anniversary
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit,” begins J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, or There and Back Again—the enchanting prelude to The Lord of the Rings. Today, The Hobbit celebrates its 75th anniversary. Originally published on 21 September 1937, only 1,500 copies were printed. Today, it is one of the most popular fantasy books of all time, with some estimates of more than 100 million copies sold [1].
Numerous critics have noted its far-reaching importance. W.H. Auden observed in 1954: “Seventeen years ago there appeared, without any fanfare, a book called The Hobbit which in my opinion, is one of the best children’s stories of this century” [2]. Similarly, the children’s magazine Books for Keeps named it as the “Most Important 20th-Century Novel (for Older Readers)” in its Children’s Books of the Century poll [3].
In addition to its vast popularity and worldwide acclaim, it is also the subject of numerous stage, film, and audio adaptations. In fact, New Line Cinema is releasing a big-budget, three-part, live action film adaptation directed by Peter Jackson over the next several years: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (December 14, 2012), The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (December 13, 2013), and The Hobbit: There and Back Again (July 18, 2014).
The HSF believes in the incomparable importance of reading, fiction and nonfiction alike, including works like The Hobbit. Please join us today in celebrating this author and his beloved work. Or as Gandalf remarks to Bilbo, “I am looking for someone to share in an adventure” [4]. Will you share in this adventure? Will you enter this world of hairy dwarves, clunky giants, terrible goblins, and the fierce Smaug? This world of characters who face their worst fears (and overcome them), and who discover that the worth of true friendship far exceeds all the treasures of the earth?
Over the next week or so, remove this classic tale from your bookshelf, wipe the settled dust from its cover, and dive into the pages of this incredible story of hope, self-discovery, and adventure. Happy reading!
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[1] While Patrick Curry suggests between 35 and 40 million, BBC News suggests “more than 100 million copies worldwide.”
Patrick Curry, Defending Middle-earth: Tolkien: Myth and Modernity (New York: First Houghton Mifflin Books, 2004), 2; BBC News, “Tolkien’s Hobbit fetches £60,000,” 18 March 2008. Accessed 17 September 2012, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7302101.stm.
[2] W. H. Auden, The New York Times Book Review, “The Hero Is a Hobbit,” 31 October 1954. Accessed 17 September 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/books/01/02/11/specials/tolkien-fellowship.html.
[3] The Tolkien Society, “Did JRR Tolkien Win Any Awards for His Books?” Accessed 17 September 2012, http://www.tolkiensociety.org/faq01.html#awards.
[4] J. R. R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again (New York: Ballantine Books, 1994), 4.
September 21, 2012
I didn’t know today was the 75th anniversary of “The Hobbit” so I was glad to read your article. It is one of my favorite books and deserves to be recognized.
September 22, 2012
My wife and I just finished reading it again several weeks ago. A fantastic book for children and adults alike! Thanks for commenting Mrs. Morgan.