Douglas Allen Anderson Book order (chronological)

For readers worldwide, The Hobbit introduces the enchanting realm of Middle-earth, home to elves, wizards, dwarves, and other fantastical beings created by J.R.R. Tolkien. Douglas A. Anderson's newly expanded and redesigned edition serves as the definitive guide to the sources, characters, and settings of this timeless classic. It features over 150 illustrations that reflect various cultural interpretations of Middle-earth, alongside Tolkien's original drawings, maps, and color paintings, making it the most richly informative edition available. This annotated version reveals Tolkien's writing process, his influences, and how they connect to his invented world. It provides an overview of Tolkien's life and the publishing history of The Hobbit, detailing how each element fits within the broader context of his mythology. Readers can discover how Gollum's character evolved in relation to the One Ring and access the full text of The Quest of Erebor, which explains Gandalf's decision to involve Bilbo Baggins in the dwarves' adventure. Anderson also draws intriguing connections to our own world and literary history, linking Tolkien's work to figures and tales from Beowulf to C.S. Lewis.

This is the story of how a Baggins had an adventure, and found himself doing and saying things altogether unexpected... Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely travelling further than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard, Gandalf, and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day, to whisk him away on a journey 'there and back again'. They have a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon... The prelude to THE LORD OF THE RINGS, THE HOBBIT has sold many millions of copies since its publication in 1937, establishing itself as one of the most beloved and influential books of the twentieth century.