The definitive edition of this beloved childrens classic featuring a wealth of accompanying illustrations & notes which take the reader further into both the story & the tale of how it was written. Seldom has any book been so widely read & loved as J.R.R. Tolkiens classic tale The Hobbit. Since its first publication in 1937 it has remained in print to delight each new generation of readers all over the world & its hero Bilbo Baggins has taken his place among the ranks of the immortals: Alice Pooh Toad... As with all classics repeated readings continue to bring new detail & perspectives to the readers mind & Tolkiens Middle-earth is a vast mine of treasures & knowledge its roots delving deep into folklore mythology & language. The Hobbit is therefore an ideal book for annotation: as well as offering a marvellous & entrancing story it introduces the reader to the richly imagined world of Middle-earth a world more fully & complexly realised in The Lord of the Rings & The Silmarillion. Douglas Andersons annotations make fascinating reading. in addition many of Tolkiens own illustrations embellish the text & numerous illustrations from foreign editions exhibit an extraordinary range of visual interpretation. In an appendix there are details of the revisions made by Tolkien at various times to the publsihed text which provide an uncommon & privileged glimpse into the special concerns of an exceptional & painstaking writer.