My favorite Hobbit edition is the one I bought back in 1977 when I was 14 years old, the one with all the illustrations from the cartoon movie. I was so proud of myself being able to purchase it with money from my first job, it was quite expensive for the time, more than double the price of a regular hardback. Still have it in mint condition with the dust jacket, I always treated it quite gingerly. For actually reading I still go to my paperback edition from the same time period (ditto with LOTR).
There were two editions of The Hobbit that used illustrations from the animated adaptation, hard and softcover. Both are quite collectible and have increased significantly in value over time. A lot of what is being sold as "collector's editions" recently is simply marketing.
Personally, I always pick Douglas Anderson’s Annotated Hobbit. As someone who’s read the novel countless times, the annotations and illustrations from numerous editions really allow it to always be a fun experience.
The pocket edition was my first read. Loved it so much. When new, it looked beautiful. However it does wear and tear and flake easilly. I liked the styling, weight, page feel, font, gilded features. If it were up to me, there would be a true leather version of it.
I saw the pocket edition in a used bookstore and I actually thought it was supposed to look like a well worn tattered journal. It was only when it continued to fall apart that I realized it wasn't made that way😂
The pocket edition has been my main "The Hobbit" book since it came out. I leave it in my backpack at all times so I know I'll always have it for a flight or trip. I don't mind the wear and tear, but you're very right about needing to pick up all the flakes. Sometimes, my hands are covered in little "leather" flakes after reading it!
My favourite is the one I got as a boy, given to me from my grandmother. It was a hardcover HarperCollins printing from 1991. It's my favourite for nostalgia reasons, even though I have seen some of the newer editions and would love them. Though, I do sometimes also think about buying a cheaper paperback edition, just because they tend to be easier to read while on the go. I am glad my edition has many of Tolkiens original illustrations, because they are connected to the story in my mind and inspired me as a kid to start world building.
Thank you for sharing your collection... I have been thinking of getting all the books made by a bookbinder for my husband, I've been watching a few amazing craftsmen who use traditional bookbinding techniques and they look amazing.
Not sure if anyone has offered this tip yet, but for those tight fitting books, get a length of acid free ribbon and wrap it around the belly of the book before putting back in the case. Leave the tails of the ribbon hanging out, then removing wont be a problem again. As for leather books, I wonder if there is a leather conditioner that you can put on the books when they are new to keep them from chipping away.
I have a copy of the Alan Lee version that is picture book size with the whole book on glossy paper. It’s so beautiful, you can see the illustrations in amazing fidelity, and I feel like the hobbit really benefits from that form factor. Will definitely be reading that version to my kids if I ever have them
The illustrated Hobbit by Jemima Catlin is absolutely gorgeous. It really feels like an art book, with its glossy and thick paper, sewn in binding and cloth hardcover. In fact it is so well made that it's quite heavy and not very comfortable to read, almost like a single edition LOTR!
I’m enjoying the deluxe collectors edition I picked up on Amazon, has a green leatherette cover and slipcase with gold and red foil stamping adorning both covers and spine, with green leafs adorning the edges of the pages. It definitely feels like you are reading something special when you open it.
I fucking love that edition but I find it hard to open it because I don't want my grubby little fingers getting skin grease on the paper, lol. It goes very nicely with my Red Book of Westmarch edition of LOTR which I prefer to the 50th anniversary edition.
Great video! I just came across your channel today and glad I did. After a couple months of saving up, I bought the Easton Press Tolkien's Classics set. They are the the nicest books in my collection. I thought my bookshelf deserved them since I reread The Hobbit, LOTR, and The Silmarillion every year. I took the plastic off the The Hobbit and looked through the pages and was blown away! All original artwork and Full maps included. Super cool!
We have the Jemima Catlin version in hardcover which is a very nice copy! The illustrations are very nice, the printing and pages are well done. A great collector's edition!
I have the Jemima Catlin edition and I love it! Yes, it's all on semi-glossy papered it's white, but the construction is solid and the materials are top notch. It's more of a piece of art than a durable reader. It needs to be handled with care. Good for adults, but maybe wait with the kids.
Yeah the edition is awesome. I don t agree with you about durability though. It's built like a tank and it's the perfect reader since it's super legible and it stays open on its own without stressing the spine. It's not portable though. It's heavy. And even if you abuse it, the sewn binding makes it super easy to repair. Not to mention the awesome price. Just get your children their own copy and let them go nuts 😄
Hey James, I do own the Jemima illustrative edition of the Hobbit and next to the deluxe illustrative edition it is one of the best ones I’ve seen. Beautiful hardback, with almost a felt-like feel with gold inlay in the leaves and lettering on front page. Great edition!
Thank you for your explanations. As I own all of these bound editions I totally agree. I actually own 3 (personally) signed Jemima Caitlin editions. They are really nice especially the red boxed deluxe edition with the dragon cover. Jemima also signed it for me a couple of years ago. Love it!
The Jemima Caitlin version is beautiful, it was gifted to my child as a present when he was born by my brother in law as he knows how much I love The Hobbit. My Child is now five and we have been enjoying reading it together. It’s everything I wanted to introduce my child into the world of Tolkien and continue our love of reading together as a family. The 80th anniversary facsimile first edition was a first wedding anniversary present from my husband. These are two of my favourite copies of The Hobbit. I grew up reading my Dad’s copy and understandably it is his.
As usual, great comparison, James. I have somehow preserved my pocket edition but i rarely touch it knowing that there's the risk it'll one day flake apart
If you play along with Tolkien and pretend that The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings are real works translated by him for modern readers then the facsimile edition is vital for completists as it represents Bilbos version of the tale as opposed to later versions which have been emended by Frodo to bring it closer to the truth regarding Gollum. Bilbo himself admits to fudging the truth during the Council of Elrond. On another note, I prefer Alan Lees paintings reproduced on the glossy paper as I think the colours ‘pop’ more and the details are clearer. Great video 👍😁
That actually takes the updates into account. The Lord of the Rings appendix notes that the Red Book of Westmarch that Bilbo wrote (and Frodo finished) was not exactly the same book that Tolkien is supposed to have translated from. The Red Book was rewritten and amended several times as the Thane's Book, noting to have corrected Bilbo's writing, and a copy of that updated version is what is said to survive for Tolkien to obtain.
I have a Romanian translation of the Jemima Catlin version and it’s really beautiful! I believe the pages are sewn together too, rather than glued, which is extra nice (if true). Out of all the various wonderful editions, this one might look the most like a children’s book, though it might be somewhat uncomfortably heavy. However, I have not read it yet as I wanted to start with the original English text. I finally bought a random copy the other day and just found out that it is, in fact, the 75th anniversary edition, so thank you for the information! Edit: the pages are actually glued but they flow (is that the right word?) so nicely, without any need for “cracking”, that one would think they were sewn!
About the facsimile first edition: 1. Mine is a very tight fit, too. The slip case does widen ever so slightly with use, sufficiently to make the fit manageable. 2. My edition has a different shade of green cloth cover - it has the same green as the leaf edges. At first I thought maybe it was the quality of the lighting in the video, but then I noticed that your leaf edges has the same green as mine. 3. This is probably my favourite edition (I have five in all), simply because it is a (facsimile) first edition. First of all, it gives me a sense of what a book printed in the '30s would have felt like new, especially with that cheap dust cover - but more importantly, it tells the story how Tolkien originally envisioned it, without the retcons after having written Lord of the Rings.
I was given a deluxe pocket edition in what looks like brown leather and it is still in good condition. Because the print is so small, however, I haven't used it very heavily, but I love this item as a collectible.
I personally went for the facsimile edition but decided to go for the gift set version. The one you show looked like a real hassle to get out of the slipcover and the slipcover art itself was no different from the book itself (under the dust jacket). Also the gift set just seemed like a nice complete package...it comes in a box with the artwork recreated in lenticular, it has a separate map with runes on the back, it has a booklet with info and an essay by Tolkien, and best of all it has a CD of Toljien reading some passages (including, I think, the revised Riddles in the Dark so that gives us what we don't get in the book). I feel like whatever version you get you will always be missing something, so unless you buy all of them you just have to decide which elements you prefer.
I picked up my copy of the gift set edition on Amazon for I think £35. It’s a beautiful facsimile version of the first edition, comes in a box with a lenticular cover. It includes a booklet on the history of The Hobbit, Thror’s map with the moon runes (hold up to the light to reveal), and the CD with Professor Tolkien reading passages from the book. Imho it’s definitely worth the money.
Thanks for this video. It's been very helpful. I recently immersed myself into Tolkien's Middle-Earth world and now want to start reading The Hobbit for the first time, so I think I'll go with Alan Lee's Illustrated Edition.
I have a different "deluxe pocket edition" or whatever as part of a 4 book box set and while its not the definitive version or anything like that its still built fairly well and is quite aesthetically appealing. If the pages were gilded and they added a tassel to each book itd be perfect
Are these the faux leather ones that come in a small box, by any chance?
4 месяца назад+1
I've been eyeing a beautiful-looking edition of the Hobbit in the bookstore for a while now. It's much larger than the others because its margin's contain notes about the story and Tolkien. It also has the story of how it was written at the beginning and beautiful illustrations of many artists, including Tolkien's own. It's a bit expensive but I hope one day I'll buy it from my own money.
If you can find one, you might want to get the Easton Press edition. Easton Press books have beautiful leather hard covers, thick acid-free paper, gold edging, gorgeous artwork, and are, or were, tremendously expensive when new, but good value for the money. It’s probably been 20 years since I’ve seen their catalog, so it may be out of print now.
Mine does as well, but it could also be the exception. Could also potentially be the location in the world where we are impacting it. Elevation, humidity, may be just enough of a difference that for some people it’s a problem and for others it isn’t. Potentially it wasn’t an issue where they were made.
Great! You should do a comparision of the text in 1st edition of Hobbit before Tolkien changed it to suit LOTR story. Would love to see it, Hobbit is my favourite book and sometimes I pretend nothing bad happened afterwards the adventure of Erebor and Bilbo, Beorn, the dwarves, elves , dalesmen and Gandalf all lived happily everafter as friends. ( My own parallel little universe in my mind)
I want the Alan lee illustrated edition box set with the lord of the rings so bad it's like the perfect balance between immersion and storytelling and keeps the reader entertained with the artwork
@@sathira_anuk5179I’m no expert but I have it and it seems very good. I recently read the hobbit and it was a pleasure to use. On the fellowship now and it is also enjoyable. I recommend!
@@sathira_anuk5179 The paper quality and binding is superb. I heard people complaining about the images' colours being washed out/ blended because they used just the standart paper for it. This makes especially dark images kinda hard to observe but imo its fine. The other drawback is that the dust cover is a rather thin material thus it may get damaged rather quick when not handled carefully. Imo its still the best set and the price is totally fair too (got mine for 90€).
Yep. I have the Easton press and folio society Tolkien sets. Super nice sets. But as far as readability and flair goes the standard illustrated edition of the hobbit is by far the best in my entire collection
My wife bought be that pocket edition for christmas some years back. I remember pulling it off the shelf to give it a read (it probably sat on the shelf for a couple years) and I was shocked to find the 'leather' had chipped off. I thought it was poor handling on my part, glad to know this is an issue with the book itself.
I almost fell for the "leather-bound" pocket book set but I figured it would have less in it... instead I just bought the Alan Lee illustrated Hobbit in a box set with the matching Lord of the Rings in 3 volumes. I picked it because its practical and affordable while still being so beautiful and collectible... it came today in a big box with no bubble wrap and the Slipcover Box was banged up and split apart and the edges of the dust jackets were scuffed from the journey. I am so sad. I guess it came here and will have to go back again.
I bought the pocket size lesther bound and loved it until it scraped its cover off. I found a slipcased hardcover full set a little later and bouhgt it immediatly. I have never seen it anywhere else. Convenience w/o And Jemima Catlin and.the Annotated edition are gems.
Before my Niece was born in Spring 2020, my sister asked everyone to give her books so she could have stuff to read to her firstborn over the years. And I, book worm that I am, gave her a pile of books she could read from ages newborn - about 10, and wrote little notes in each one. So I gave her a copy of the Hobbit, 75th edition paperback with the cover of the red moon and mountains. And then when she'll turn 8, she's getting The Lord of the Rings & The Chronicles of Narnia. I've decided all my cousins kids are getting copies of one or the other for their 8th birthday. Already sent one The Lord of the Rings for his 8th birthday.
I just got the "avoidable" edition. Yeah it will look awful in a couple of years, but it had a discount, and you can't deny that, at least when it's brand new, it's just gorgeous. The only sad thing, is that it's way prettier than I thought it would be. Videos and images certainly don't do it justice.
I had the exact same problem with the brown leather pocket edition. Think I threw it away. I have the 75th Anniversary edition now. No complaints about that one.
I own a copy of the last one you mentioned. 2013 illustrated edition. I'd recommend it its so nice. and the entire book is on glossy paper inside a cloth bound.
My Mom got me a first edition Hobbit illustrated by Jemima Catlin and it is beautiful from cover to cover. The front and back cover have this nice cloth texture to them, and the title and illustrations on the cover are engraved and gilded very nicely. The paper is good quality even if it is that shiny glossy paper, and the print is nice and big on a 9x7 measurement. I think it's 9x7 I'm just eyeballing it. Anyways, I'd definitely recommend it.
I'm so glad to find someone else agrees with me about that pocket edition (and similar LOTR editions)! There is so much love for them, but when I first went to the shop, the "leather" covering was already coming off by sticking to shelves and other books. I could never bring myself to buy them.
@@brewingbooks I have the pocket editions in a boxset but they seem slightly different to the one showed here. no gold lettering or anything. They're "vinyl back" as they call it. So far they're holding together but they're mostly for display.
Damn, our school started the fellowship of the ring for clarion books 2020, I loved it so I got two towers and return of the king for the same edition, then I wanted the same for the hobbit, but they only had that one 9:59 and I didn't want to ruin the collection by buying a different publisher
My pocket leather kind version was great when I first got it. The same thing happened to it after years of only being displayed or stored in a box. Recently I bought the Alan Lee illustrated Hobbit and LotRs and am enjoying reading it even though it’s bigger and sturdier.
Ciao. I read the hobbit when I was 8 and I still have the 1977 version. I got the 2013 jemima catlin version for my son who is now when he was 6. We have read it twice. I have no complaints. We enjoy it and the artwork is certainly oriented for children, which is what I wanted.
The Jemima Catlin version is very nice. Quality is great but mostly, it feels like a copy that you’d read to children, showing the illustrations with big text on thick paper. I bought it on an impulse and I have zero regrets.
I just ordered those 2004 editions of "The Hobbit", "The Lord of the Rings", and "The Silmarillion". I also ordered a copy of "The History of Middle-Earth Boxed Set" (2020). I did not know about the "Children of Húrin" being in the same series.
15:07 Leather does not do that. That edition is *not* leather, but leatherette, which is "imitation leather made of plastics". Thus, sun, movement, etc. will destroy it easily.
@@brewingbooks it's expected. It's "plastic", just the air, the light and the heat are oxidizing the plasticizer, thus making it brittle. I saw in other of your videos, you bought the same "leatherette" in the TLOTR "pocket" edition. That will suffer too from the degradation on time, sadly. So, if you want them to last longer, you'll have to apply PVC moisturizer. Personally, from a person who owns more than 8,000 books in his private library, aka "me", I'd encourage you to replace the binding. There are many great binders in most countries that would do a fantastic job and you could have a flexible leather or limp (parchment) binding.
@@franzrogar Better to just toss out the HMH leatherette pocket editions. HarperCollins do cloth ones for anyone that particularly likes that size. But in reality there are far better Hobbits out there than any of then pocket editions, which are just a novelty.
The third edition you showed is the one I have but in paperback, the illustrations are amazing and the cover has a superb drawing of the sleeping Smaug in the Lonely Mountain. Alan Lee perfectly compliments Tolkien's genius.
I have a pocket edition of the Hobbit with colored maps and JRR Tolkien illustration. Ilove this edition it feels like leather even the box is leather and it comes with the LOTR.
Regarding the last illustrated edition you mentioned: I got 8t for Christmas a few years ago and it's a great edition. I wanted it fir the interesting artwork and there are a lot of illustrations to enjoy. Definitely recommend.
I’m new to your channel, and I really like it. I’m not a reader, I’ve always been into mathematics and physics, but also movies and music. My mom is a big reader though, as is her oldest brother. They read SO much, and they’re really fast readers as well. I’m trying to get into reading. I’m 21 and have never read a book from start to finish outside of the classroom when we would read together as a class and take turns reading aloud. Even then, I would still miss some days because we never read books often, so the few times we read one I had missed a day or two. That and sometimes we didn’t finish the book. So now I’m trying to get into reading. I love The Lord of the Rings movies from 2001-2003, so I want my first book to be an original Lord of the Rings book, but since The Hobbit came first, I want to read it first. Anyway, I really like the Allen Lee one. Am I missing anything as far as the story goes in that version? Is it the exact same as the 70th anniversary edition(2007) when it comes to the writing? Also, will you review the 75th anniversary edition (2012) and compare it to the 70th anniversary edition (2007) please? And lastly, will you make a video on the best Lord of the Rings editions that are in 3 books (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King) rather than just the really thick ones? I know that the original LotR was one book, but that’s too overwhelming for me to start with. If you do make videos about these, give me a shoutout at the beginning of the videos if you don’t mind please 😂. Again, you make GREAT videos! You seem like such a genuine and nice guy. I subscribed to you. Hopefully you’re channel will blow up one day, I bet it will.
Hey there! Thanks so much for your kind words 🙂 text-wise you need not worry. Different editions contains the same text and appendices (you may find the odd corrected typo here and there from a newer edition but otherwise they’re an exact copy). Thanks also for the video suggestions. I’ll make sure to keep these in mind when I manage to get most LOTR editions some day … still a bit far off though 😅
My edition is a pocket edition but it look like your favorite's one (same dust jacket, with sun and dragon printed in Red color). the boof itself is green with gold letters with forewords by Christopher Tolkien. It cames in 2012, for the 75th anniversary. Based on what you shared here (thanks for that) I think if your looking for a goog pocket edition, you should like it.
Hey there! I think I’ve read or seen something about this 2012 pocket edition. Sounds delightful and I’ll definitely read more about it. Thanks for the heads up 👍
Doesn't look like genuine leather, but imitation/softbound/bonded leather. That's why I usually stay away from anything softbound /bonded leather or imitation leather. I prefer to save up for the genuine leather binding if such a version is available that is (if I have to chose between both)
Could you consider the new "Illustrated by the Author" editions of the Tolkien books? I know that only LOTR and Silmarillion have been published so far. However, this coming September, HarperCollins will be putting out a new Hobbit hardback with more of Toklien's own drawings. So it would be good if you could include those newer editions in your consideration. I like your thorough discussion of the various copies you have. I did have issues with the 70th anniversary hardback. Last year, I was in England and perused the copies of the newer hardback when browsing Foyles and the Waterstones bookshops. I noticed that the pages had shrunk until the margins were too wide for the book size. This isn't good for the book design because printers could be wasting paper. I agree that the copy you have is nicely produced, but the newer reprints are less successful.
That leather one to avoid was the first time I read the Hobbit was with that book back in 2013. Mine looked worn down when I bought it new. Not that worn down though.
I have a copy of the paperback with the red Smuag and black background along with the matching Silmarlion and Unfinished Tales. It's a nice looking set of mass market paperbacks.
Great review. I own the 70th anniversary edition and I also love its design and Tolkien's art, but I find terribly annoying that the spine is glued instead of sewn.
Hey James! I just received my facsimile copy of The Hobbit the other day and it seems to slip out of the slipcase very easily, so I think it just might be your copy that's getting caught that tightly, unfortunately. Mine appears to be a 5th printing though, so it could be something that was corrected in later printings too. I love how the error correction of Dodgson on the rear inside cover was even kept in this edition! Such attention to detail!
I have the 70th anniversary edition in a slipcase, it is very nice, but the 1978 issue is possibly better. The print on the dust jacket is much richer. The 2007 version looks like a photocopy, as does the slipcase. But both are very good.
It seems to me that the deluxe HarperCollins editions are quite hard to read from (glued spine?) that is very stiff - it seems like you can't open the book flat completely and read it comfortably without intensely keeping the pages from moving? Am I wrong, because I really like how they look!
You’re right actually. At least I find it difficult to read from, as I’m super conscious of breaking the spine. Besides that, the sheer weight of the deluxe editions makes it slightly impractical and tiring to read from.
Oh that sucks. Thanks for the tip. If you are looking for a reading copy, the Jemima Catlin is perfect. Super legible and stays open on its own. Heavy though
Just Found your channel, huge LOTR nut here. Ive been buying old paperbacks from the 60's and up of all the books on Etsy. I kinda started because their are so many covers, im addicted lol
I would like to get the Facsimile of the first edition because I did not know that the Hobbit was 'tweaked' by Tolkien, that's very interesting. I'd love to read that, thanks! Love your Tolkien videos!
Many thanks for your kind words. Yes indeed. The first edition of The Hobbit contains some very interesting differences with the second editions we’re all used to reading.
Hi there! The truth is that I hadn’t yet acquired the Folio edition when this video was made. Now, there’s mixed reviews on the Folio Hobbit. Some say it’s great, others feel that this current second run of printing is inferior in quality due to a change in printer and other factors. I personally have not yet experienced any issues with my copy as others (such as creases in binding, loss of gold foil markings on covers etc). Overall it’s a beautiful edition. Different, admittedly - and not in line with other editions of The Hobbit, especially the illustrations, but a worthy contender 🙂
@@brewingbooks Thanks for your comments. Yes, I have heard the same things as the comments you made. I had an older Folio edition at one time and now I regret having sold it. I get tired of manufacturers of many different types of products taking the cheap way out. I would rather pay more for excellent quality.
I recently got the Jemima Catlin edition. Its quality is sooo high for the price. Easily competing with the deluxe edition, if not better. And the art work is just amazing in stunning colours. It is a bit more childish, but it fits the book perfectly. Far better IMO than Alan Lee's more adult oriented work. And super easy to read as it stays open on its own due to the nice sewn binding. The maps could be better though, but at least they are not on the end papers where they would eventually deteriorate
Wonderful. Based on your comments here, I was enticed into buying this edition for myself. I have no room for it on my shelves, but thank you anyway! 🙂
So, I received this edition of The Hobbit from Amazon yesterday and I agree it's fantastically well made and presented! I will say it's incredibly heavy, and ALL the pages are glossy, which means they seem to have the annoying tendency of reflecting any reading light you happen to be using so that you constantly have to hunt for a non-reflected part or the page to keep reading. But other than that, it was well worth the $23 USD it cost me. Amazon even made a half-hearted attempt to protect the edges with crumpled paper in the box to prevent damage. And it actually worked!
@@-johnny-deep- That's the price we have to pay for deep and vivid colors. If you check the Alan Lee books in comparison, they come in matte paper and the illustrations look dull with with low contrast.
@@dimitris470 Yeah, you're right. Especially when you have pictures embedded with the text on many of the pages and not just a few. If there are only full page pictures , they can get their own glossy pages and still have the text on matte paper.
That was a great overview - thanks! I have the Catlin edition. I bought it to read to my children as it's so generously illustrated, they're great. It is however printed on glossy white paper throughout, because of the amount of illustrations I suppose. It's not the best from a tactile perspective I think, but makes sense overall. As an aside, me and my six and five year old were thumbing through it together and I pointed at a picture of Gandalf and told them who and what he was. I then asked 'do you know what the elves call him?', 'no, what?' they said, 'Mithrandir' I replied - and they both went 'oooohh'. The power of language :)
Just a note: The changes to Riddles in the Dark were actually published without Tolkiens knowledge initially. He wrote the amendments much later in publication and submitted them to Unwin for review, but didn’t intend them to make it to print. He was surprised when the updated impression was sent to him and he said (to Unwin) that he is now accepting that essentially two versions of the Riddles chapter exist. This means his changes were less intentionally meant to make the ‘LotR narrative fit better’ (and so were perhaps more accidental in a way).
I have 2 editions! The first one is the 1995 edition that has the sun and rune borders in gilt finish, and the other one is the collector's edition published in 2012 both by harpercollins. Any chance you have it sir? Would be really glad to see it in your video soon!
Thanks for the review! It was super useful to me as a buyer of a nice edition of the book. A few questions I have: - Is the Folio Society's edition any good? I would have been cool to be part of this review as well. - Do you know which which book contains which illustrations? For example, I know some contain 5 illustrations and other 7 (I believe) by Tolkein. Other (like Alan Lee's) I am not sure if they contain Tolkein's illustration as well or not? Awesome review! It helped me a lot, so thanks for making these 🙏
Thanks very much. As for the Folio edition, I don’t have a copy of those so I really can’t tell. As for the illustrations, there are several from both Lee and Tolkien but not both in the same book ( as far as I can tell). It all depends on the particular edition.
Yep. I was so excited to get that pocket edition. It was my “airplane book” for years. But the cover was always flaking off… I treat all of my books with care, but the quality of the cover is just truly abysmal.
I haven't read _The Hobbit_ yet, since I want my first reading of the book to be from a copy that preserves the 1937 text. That first edition facsimile is just what I've been waiting for.
Wow. I have both the Easton Press version (which I just reread a couple of weeks ago) and a pocketbook version. After watching this I went and pulled down the pocket version (read only once) and almost the entire front cover peeled off because it was stuck to an adjacent book :-(
Maybe eventually find a good book binder and get the delux pocket edition the cover it deserves. I really like the format and the paper quality looks good from the video. I got a copy of the normal pocket edition and really enjoyed reading it in that format. I hope that the LOTR by Houghton Mifflin with a similar leatherette cover and format does not have the same problems as the Hobbit. I was thinking of getting this edition of LOTR as my paperback edition is a little worse for wear now.
Great overview! The Deluxe & Illustrated edition by Alan Lee (2020) are my favourites. I do not own the 70th Anniversary Edition but that one just looks outstanding & looks more 'Tolkien-like' with his own artwork on the dustjacket. I've thought about getting this edition along with the other books that have the similar design cue but never got to it. I think I've got just enough editions now
I have the 75th Anniversary, which is nearly identical to the 70th. The printing on the spine is on the vertical and a much lighter shade of gold, which presents as a little less refined. If you do go for it, keep this in mind!
Should I start with the Silmarillion or Hobbit? Im new to reading the books. I bought the one with 4 books and Alan lee illustration and the silmarillion one idk who illustrated it I think JJR Tolkien himself. Its a reprint of his illustrations or either his sons.
I actually kind of prefer that one over the rest now cause I like the weathered and old look, makes me feel like a old and wise wizard with a collection of ancient artifacts.
0:00 What's that topmost Hobbit edition? I have the pocket deluxe set copy (am fan of small, light books) and i wonder how small that edition of yours is? You kinda look like the late Angus Cloud in that opening. EDIT: lol 13:35 is apparently the disappointing one. My copy has (14:19) the same endpaper maps and artwork within. 14:58 Ok I'm trying to understand the difference between this edition and mine. Mine has no back cover and has a different color(red cover with black letters on the front, nothing written on backcover) or "gold" pages. Otherwise they're similar.
I actually don’t own any Easton editions, though I’ve heard some very positive things about them, and eventually look forward to collecting them at some stage 🙂
@@muggsy14able ISBN is the International Standard Book Number which is a unique number given to every published book/edition that acts as that books identifier.
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My favorite Hobbit edition is the one I bought back in 1977 when I was 14 years old, the one with all the illustrations from the cartoon movie. I was so proud of myself being able to purchase it with money from my first job, it was quite expensive for the time, more than double the price of a regular hardback. Still have it in mint condition with the dust jacket, I always treated it quite gingerly. For actually reading I still go to my paperback edition from the same time period (ditto with LOTR).
It’s always such a special experience when you get to buy your first copy with hard-earned work. Thanks for sharing! 😃
I think I had that one. It was the Rankin-Bass cartoon right, and it was in landscape format instead of portrait IIRC?
@@MannyBrum yup, that's the one
My two brothers bought that edition for me as a Christmas present. I've still got it on my bookshelf.
There were two editions of The Hobbit that used illustrations from the animated adaptation, hard and softcover. Both are quite collectible and have increased significantly in value over time. A lot of what is being sold as "collector's editions" recently is simply marketing.
Personally, I always pick Douglas Anderson’s Annotated Hobbit. As someone who’s read the novel countless times, the annotations and illustrations from numerous editions really allow it to always be a fun experience.
Very good choice indeed 🙂
That's my favorite edition, too. Fascinating stuff to complement the text.
The pocket edition was my first read. Loved it so much. When new, it looked beautiful. However it does wear and tear and flake easilly. I liked the styling, weight, page feel, font, gilded features. If it were up to me, there would be a true leather version of it.
If only they would publish a real leather pocket edition. This was a wasted opportunity imo.
I saw the pocket edition in a used bookstore and I actually thought it was supposed to look like a well worn tattered journal. It was only when it continued to fall apart that I realized it wasn't made that way😂
Maybe a nice diy project would be to laminate real leather over the cover. Maybe 3D print a stamp to emboss it...
The pocket edition has been my main "The Hobbit" book since it came out. I leave it in my backpack at all times so I know I'll always have it for a flight or trip. I don't mind the wear and tear, but you're very right about needing to pick up all the flakes. Sometimes, my hands are covered in little "leather" flakes after reading it!
That’s perhaps the most annoying aspect of this copy … flakes everywhere!
My favourite is the one I got as a boy, given to me from my grandmother. It was a hardcover HarperCollins printing from 1991. It's my favourite for nostalgia reasons, even though I have seen some of the newer editions and would love them. Though, I do sometimes also think about buying a cheaper paperback edition, just because they tend to be easier to read while on the go. I am glad my edition has many of Tolkiens original illustrations, because they are connected to the story in my mind and inspired me as a kid to start world building.
Sometimes, our first copy remains the best edition 🙂
Thank you for sharing your collection... I have been thinking of getting all the books made by a bookbinder for my husband, I've been watching a few amazing craftsmen who use traditional bookbinding techniques and they look amazing.
That's a great idea! Best of luck :)
Not sure if anyone has offered this tip yet, but for those tight fitting books, get a length of acid free ribbon and wrap it around the belly of the book before putting back in the case. Leave the tails of the ribbon hanging out, then removing wont be a problem again. As for leather books, I wonder if there is a leather conditioner that you can put on the books when they are new to keep them from chipping away.
I have a copy of the Alan Lee version that is picture book size with the whole book on glossy paper. It’s so beautiful, you can see the illustrations in amazing fidelity, and I feel like the hobbit really benefits from that form factor. Will definitely be reading that version to my kids if I ever have them
The illustrated Hobbit by Jemima Catlin is absolutely gorgeous. It really feels like an art book, with its glossy and thick paper, sewn in binding and cloth hardcover. In fact it is so well made that it's quite heavy and not very comfortable to read, almost like a single edition LOTR!
I would love to get that edition some day 😃
I like this edition but she has drawn the wrong kind of eagle!
@@Daddio616Did Tolkien ever describe what species of Eagles they were?
I’m enjoying the deluxe collectors edition I picked up on Amazon, has a green leatherette cover and slipcase with gold and red foil stamping adorning both covers and spine, with green leafs adorning the edges of the pages. It definitely feels like you are reading something special when you open it.
Very well said! Glad you’re enjoying those editions 👍
I fucking love that edition but I find it hard to open it because I don't want my grubby little fingers getting skin grease on the paper, lol. It goes very nicely with my Red Book of Westmarch edition of LOTR which I prefer to the 50th anniversary edition.
Wonderful presentation! As if I was in a store, talking to a friend about what I see and even touch! Thanks a lot!
You're very welcome!
Great video! I just came across your channel today and glad I did. After a couple months of saving up, I bought the Easton Press Tolkien's Classics set. They are the the nicest books in my collection. I thought my bookshelf deserved them since I reread The Hobbit, LOTR, and The Silmarillion every year. I took the plastic off the The Hobbit and looked through the pages and was blown away! All original artwork and Full maps included. Super cool!
Thanks for the words, and congrats on your new acquisitions! 😃
I always have a huge amount of respect for RUclipsrs who respond to their viewer’s comments. Keep up the great content!!
Thank you so much!
I try to reply to everyone if possible, though I’m sure quite a number of comments have escaped me - unintentionally of course 😅
We have the Jemima Catlin version in hardcover which is a very nice copy! The illustrations are very nice, the printing and pages are well done. A great collector's edition!
Thanks! I have to get it now 😅
I have the Jemima Catlin edition and I love it! Yes, it's all on semi-glossy papered it's white, but the construction is solid and the materials are top notch. It's more of a piece of art than a durable reader. It needs to be handled with care. Good for adults, but maybe wait with the kids.
Yeah the edition is awesome. I don t agree with you about durability though. It's built like a tank and it's the perfect reader since it's super legible and it stays open on its own without stressing the spine. It's not portable though. It's heavy. And even if you abuse it, the sewn binding makes it super easy to repair. Not to mention the awesome price. Just get your children their own copy and let them go nuts 😄
Thanks for the insight 😃
Hey James, I do own the Jemima illustrative edition of the Hobbit and next to the deluxe illustrative edition it is one of the best ones I’ve seen. Beautiful hardback, with almost a felt-like feel with gold inlay in the leaves and lettering on front page. Great edition!
Oh wow 🤩 Thanks for that. You’ve reaffirmed my desire to get this some day 😄
Thank you for your explanations. As I own all of these bound editions I totally agree. I actually own 3 (personally) signed Jemima Caitlin editions. They are really nice especially the red boxed deluxe edition with the dragon cover. Jemima also signed it for me a couple of years ago. Love it!
@@AlMeGra Are those editions available? Or were they limited prints?
The Jemima Caitlin version is beautiful, it was gifted to my child as a present when he was born by my brother in law as he knows how much I love The Hobbit.
My Child is now five and we have been enjoying reading it together. It’s everything I wanted to introduce my child into the world of Tolkien and continue our love of reading together as a family.
The 80th anniversary facsimile first edition was a first wedding anniversary present from my husband.
These are two of my favourite copies of The Hobbit.
I grew up reading my Dad’s copy and understandably it is his.
How lovely! Thanks for sharing 🙂 I’m hoping to get the Caitlin edition soon!
As usual, great comparison, James. I have somehow preserved my pocket edition but i rarely touch it knowing that there's the risk it'll one day flake apart
Thanks a lot for your comments 😃 And I’m glad to learn your copy has remained unaltered. “Keep it secret! Keep it safe!”
Is it still available? I want a copy
If you play along with Tolkien and pretend that The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings are real works translated by him for modern readers then the facsimile edition is vital for completists as it represents Bilbos version of the tale as opposed to later versions which have been emended by Frodo to bring it closer to the truth regarding Gollum. Bilbo himself admits to fudging the truth during the Council of Elrond. On another note, I prefer Alan Lees paintings reproduced on the glossy paper as I think the colours ‘pop’ more and the details are clearer. Great video 👍😁
Well said! And thanks for the comments :)
That actually takes the updates into account. The Lord of the Rings appendix notes that the Red Book of Westmarch that Bilbo wrote (and Frodo finished) was not exactly the same book that Tolkien is supposed to have translated from. The Red Book was rewritten and amended several times as the Thane's Book, noting to have corrected Bilbo's writing, and a copy of that updated version is what is said to survive for Tolkien to obtain.
I have a Romanian translation of the Jemima Catlin version and it’s really beautiful! I believe the pages are sewn together too, rather than glued, which is extra nice (if true). Out of all the various wonderful editions, this one might look the most like a children’s book, though it might be somewhat uncomfortably heavy.
However, I have not read it yet as I wanted to start with the original English text. I finally bought a random copy the other day and just found out that it is, in fact, the 75th anniversary edition, so thank you for the information!
Edit: the pages are actually glued but they flow (is that the right word?) so nicely, without any need for “cracking”, that one would think they were sewn!
Thanks for such an insightful description into that edition, much appreciated 🙂
About the facsimile first edition:
1. Mine is a very tight fit, too. The slip case does widen ever so slightly with use, sufficiently to make the fit manageable.
2. My edition has a different shade of green cloth cover - it has the same green as the leaf edges. At first I thought maybe it was the quality of the lighting in the video, but then I noticed that your leaf edges has the same green as mine.
3. This is probably my favourite edition (I have five in all), simply because it is a (facsimile) first edition. First of all, it gives me a sense of what a book printed in the '30s would have felt like new, especially with that cheap dust cover - but more importantly, it tells the story how Tolkien originally envisioned it, without the retcons after having written Lord of the Rings.
So glad mine is not the only one with the tight fit issue. Thanks for the heads-up :)
Wow thanks for going through all those. Very interesting.
My pleasure!
I have the Folio edition and it is so beautiful amnd tactile. Showing my age I also have a 'deluxe edition’ which I got in 1976 when it was published.
I saw a few images of both the folio and deluxe diction you’re referring to. Undoubtedly two precious items in any collection 🙂
I was given a deluxe pocket edition in what looks like brown leather and it is still in good condition. Because the print is so small, however, I haven't used it very heavily, but I love this item as a collectible.
Thanks for sharing!
I personally went for the facsimile edition but decided to go for the gift set version. The one you show looked like a real hassle to get out of the slipcover and the slipcover art itself was no different from the book itself (under the dust jacket). Also the gift set just seemed like a nice complete package...it comes in a box with the artwork recreated in lenticular, it has a separate map with runes on the back, it has a booklet with info and an essay by Tolkien, and best of all it has a CD of Toljien reading some passages (including, I think, the revised Riddles in the Dark so that gives us what we don't get in the book). I feel like whatever version you get you will always be missing something, so unless you buy all of them you just have to decide which elements you prefer.
What are your thoughts on the gift set version? Is it worth it? Thanks for sharing :)
Where to order the gift edition..?
I picked up my copy of the gift set edition on Amazon for I think £35. It’s a beautiful facsimile version of the first edition, comes in a box with a lenticular cover. It includes a booklet on the history of The Hobbit, Thror’s map with the moon runes (hold up to the light to reveal), and the CD with Professor Tolkien reading passages from the book. Imho it’s definitely worth the money.
Thanks for this video. It's been very helpful. I recently immersed myself into Tolkien's Middle-Earth world and now want to start reading The Hobbit for the first time, so I think I'll go with Alan Lee's Illustrated Edition.
Wonderful! It’s a beautiful edition. Enjoy 😉
How could you have immersed yourself in the world if you hadn't even read The Hobbit?
For me, my first immersive experience in Middle-earth was via The Silmarillion rather than The Hobbit 😅
@@folksurvival because I had read The Lord of the Rings
I have the illustrated edition you mentioned at the end. I got if for Christmas and I really like it. It is my first time reading The Hobbit.
Oh fantastic! Hope you enjoy it 🙂
I have a different "deluxe pocket edition" or whatever as part of a 4 book box set and while its not the definitive version or anything like that its still built fairly well and is quite aesthetically appealing. If the pages were gilded and they added a tassel to each book itd be perfect
Are these the faux leather ones that come in a small box, by any chance?
I've been eyeing a beautiful-looking edition of the Hobbit in the bookstore for a while now. It's much larger than the others because its margin's contain notes about the story and Tolkien. It also has the story of how it was written at the beginning and beautiful illustrations of many artists, including Tolkien's own. It's a bit expensive but I hope one day I'll buy it from my own money.
If you can find one, you might want to get the Easton Press edition. Easton Press books have beautiful leather hard covers, thick acid-free paper, gold edging, gorgeous artwork, and are, or were, tremendously expensive when new, but good value for the money. It’s probably been 20 years since I’ve seen their catalog, so it may be out of print now.
Thanks for this 🙂 will certainly check it out 👍
My copy of the Facsimile First Edition slides right out of the case, but of course it could be the exception.
Lucky!
Mine does as well, but it could also be the exception.
Could also potentially be the location in the world where we are impacting it. Elevation, humidity, may be just enough of a difference that for some people it’s a problem and for others it isn’t. Potentially it wasn’t an issue where they were made.
My favourite Hobbit is still the paperback I bought back in the 1970s with Tolkien's sketch "Death of Smaug" on the cover.
That’s a lovely edition/cover 😃
Great! You should do a comparision of the text in 1st edition of Hobbit before Tolkien changed it to suit LOTR story. Would love to see it, Hobbit is my favourite book and sometimes I pretend nothing bad happened afterwards the adventure of Erebor and Bilbo, Beorn, the dwarves, elves , dalesmen and Gandalf all lived happily everafter as friends. ( My own parallel little universe in my mind)
That's a great idea! Thanks!
I want the Alan lee illustrated edition box set with the lord of the rings so bad it's like the perfect balance between immersion and storytelling and keeps the reader entertained with the artwork
That box set is a one-of-kind I think 🙂
@@brewingbooks can you tell me about that box set's quality?
Binding and paper quality?
@@sathira_anuk5179I’m no expert but I have it and it seems very good. I recently read the hobbit and it was a pleasure to use. On the fellowship now and it is also enjoyable. I recommend!
@@sathira_anuk5179 The paper quality and binding is superb. I heard people complaining about the images' colours being washed out/ blended because they used just the standart paper for it. This makes especially dark images kinda hard to observe but imo its fine. The other drawback is that the dust cover is a rather thin material thus it may get damaged rather quick when not handled carefully. Imo its still the best set and the price is totally fair too (got mine for 90€).
Yep. I have the Easton press and folio society Tolkien sets. Super nice sets. But as far as readability and flair goes the standard illustrated edition of the hobbit is by far the best in my entire collection
The leather bound pocket edition with the damage, the gold etching, and the flexibility and size of the book is the best edition of all
Glad someone enjoys this edition 👍
My wife bought be that pocket edition for christmas some years back. I remember pulling it off the shelf to give it a read (it probably sat on the shelf for a couple years) and I was shocked to find the 'leather' had chipped off. I thought it was poor handling on my part, glad to know this is an issue with the book itself.
Ouch! Sorry to hear that, but I’m also glad myself that mine was not the only one with these issues 😅
I almost fell for the "leather-bound" pocket book set but I figured it would have less in it... instead I just bought the Alan Lee illustrated Hobbit in a box set with the matching Lord of the Rings in 3 volumes. I picked it because its practical and affordable while still being so beautiful and collectible... it came today in a big box with no bubble wrap and the Slipcover Box was banged up and split apart and the edges of the dust jackets were scuffed from the journey. I am so sad. I guess it came here and will have to go back again.
Great choice going for the Alan Lee Illustrated set :)
Mine is the blue and green hardcover, without the sleeve.
Nice! 🙂
There are so many nice editions of the Hobbit but nothing beats the annotated edition by Douglas A. Anderson for me.
Oh yes that’s a great choice. I have it but didn’t include it in this list as I wanted to review “standalone” editions only. But great choice, yes 😃
I bought the pocket size lesther bound and loved it until it scraped its cover off. I found a slipcased hardcover full set a little later and bouhgt it immediatly. I have never seen it anywhere else. Convenience w/o And Jemima Catlin and.the Annotated edition are gems.
Well said!
Before my Niece was born in Spring 2020, my sister asked everyone to give her books so she could have stuff to read to her firstborn over the years. And I, book worm that I am, gave her a pile of books she could read from ages newborn - about 10, and wrote little notes in each one. So I gave her a copy of the Hobbit, 75th edition paperback with the cover of the red moon and mountains. And then when she'll turn 8, she's getting The Lord of the Rings & The Chronicles of Narnia. I've decided all my cousins kids are getting copies of one or the other for their 8th birthday. Already sent one The Lord of the Rings for his 8th birthday.
What a beautiful thing! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂 Here’s wishing the best reading experience to your niece.
I just got the "avoidable" edition. Yeah it will look awful in a couple of years, but it had a discount, and you can't deny that, at least when it's brand new, it's just gorgeous.
The only sad thing, is that it's way prettier than I thought it would be. Videos and images certainly don't do it justice.
It was certainly wonderful upon purchase but the way it progressed in its disintegration is truly sad …
I had the exact same problem with the brown leather pocket edition. Think I threw it away. I have the 75th Anniversary edition now. No complaints about that one.
Ouch! But at least you’ve got the 75th anniversary one now 😄
I own a copy of the last one you mentioned. 2013 illustrated edition. I'd recommend it its so nice. and the entire book is on glossy paper inside a cloth bound.
I agree :)
I'll always have a soft spot for the paperback with the old school cover of Smaug lying on his treasure, like I read back when I was 8.
Lovely choice!
My Mom got me a first edition Hobbit illustrated by Jemima Catlin and it is beautiful from cover to cover. The front and back cover have this nice cloth texture to them, and the title and illustrations on the cover are engraved and gilded very nicely. The paper is good quality even if it is that shiny glossy paper, and the print is nice and big on a 9x7 measurement. I think it's 9x7 I'm just eyeballing it.
Anyways, I'd definitely recommend it.
Thanks! You know what? I still haven’t gotten this Catlin edition, but I really MUST! 😅
I'm so glad to find someone else agrees with me about that pocket edition (and similar LOTR editions)! There is so much love for them, but when I first went to the shop, the "leather" covering was already coming off by sticking to shelves and other books. I could never bring myself to buy them.
Argh! Then it IS a common issue for most copies. Thanks for the reassurance and glad you found out the problem before purchasing 😄
@@brewingbooks I have the pocket editions in a boxset but they seem slightly different to the one showed here. no gold lettering or anything. They're "vinyl back" as they call it. So far they're holding together but they're mostly for display.
Damn, our school started the fellowship of the ring for clarion books 2020, I loved it so I got two towers and return of the king for the same edition, then I wanted the same for the hobbit, but they only had that one 9:59 and I didn't want to ruin the collection by buying a different publisher
I understand your concern with different editions when collecting! It can be a nightmare 😅
My pocket leather kind version was great when I first got it. The same thing happened to it after years of only being displayed or stored in a box. Recently I bought the Alan Lee illustrated Hobbit and LotRs and am enjoying reading it even though it’s bigger and sturdier.
Ouch! Too bad, but glad to hear you’re enjoying your newer purchase 🙂
You guys need to call out the publisher for that atrocity, and ideally, send it back to them for a refund and for scamming people.
Your favorite is also my favorite. Thanks for the video.
Fantastic!
Ciao. I read the hobbit when I was 8 and I still have the 1977 version. I got the 2013 jemima catlin version for my son who is now when he was 6. We have read it twice. I have no complaints. We enjoy it and the artwork is certainly oriented for children, which is what I wanted.
Lovely! I’ve always wanted to get the Caitlin version. It looks wonderful 🙂
The Jemima Catlin version is very nice. Quality is great but mostly, it feels like a copy that you’d read to children, showing the illustrations with big text on thick paper. I bought it on an impulse and I have zero regrets.
Love your channel. However, ISBN numbers would be helpful, at least for me, to locate the recommended books. I appreciate your work and thanks!
Great suggestion! And thanks for the kind words 🙂
I just ordered those 2004 editions of "The Hobbit", "The Lord of the Rings", and "The Silmarillion". I also ordered a copy of "The History of Middle-Earth Boxed Set" (2020). I did not know about the "Children of Húrin" being in the same series.
Fantastic! What are your thoughts about them?
15:07 Leather does not do that. That edition is *not* leather, but leatherette, which is "imitation leather made of plastics". Thus, sun, movement, etc. will destroy it easily.
Thing is, that book's been in the dark on a bookshelf for a number of years and it still crumbled to dust :/
@@brewingbooks it's expected. It's "plastic", just the air, the light and the heat are oxidizing the plasticizer, thus making it brittle. I saw in other of your videos, you bought the same "leatherette" in the TLOTR "pocket" edition. That will suffer too from the degradation on time, sadly. So, if you want them to last longer, you'll have to apply PVC moisturizer. Personally, from a person who owns more than 8,000 books in his private library, aka "me", I'd encourage you to replace the binding. There are many great binders in most countries that would do a fantastic job and you could have a flexible leather or limp (parchment) binding.
@@franzrogar cheers for that!
@@franzrogar Better to just toss out the HMH leatherette pocket editions. HarperCollins do cloth ones for anyone that particularly likes that size. But in reality there are far better Hobbits out there than any of then pocket editions, which are just a novelty.
The third edition you showed is the one I have but in paperback, the illustrations are amazing and the cover has a superb drawing of the sleeping Smaug in the Lonely Mountain. Alan Lee perfectly compliments Tolkien's genius.
Couldn't agree more :)
Just an FYI you can get that book rebound with real leather at any book binding store.
I think I might consider that option thanks 😃
Awesome as usual! Great video, value your advice!
Thanks Jack!
I have a pocket edition of the Hobbit with colored maps and JRR Tolkien illustration. Ilove this edition it feels like leather even the box is leather and it comes with the LOTR.
Would you care to share its ISBN? As this sounds lovely 😃
Regarding the last illustrated edition you mentioned: I got 8t for Christmas a few years ago and it's a great edition. I wanted it fir the interesting artwork and there are a lot of illustrations to enjoy. Definitely recommend.
Agreed 😃
I’m new to your channel, and I really like it. I’m not a reader, I’ve always been into mathematics and physics, but also movies and music. My mom is a big reader though, as is her oldest brother. They read SO much, and they’re really fast readers as well. I’m trying to get into reading. I’m 21 and have never read a book from start to finish outside of the classroom when we would read together as a class and take turns reading aloud. Even then, I would still miss some days because we never read books often, so the few times we read one I had missed a day or two. That and sometimes we didn’t finish the book. So now I’m trying to get into reading. I love The Lord of the Rings movies from 2001-2003, so I want my first book to be an original Lord of the Rings book, but since The Hobbit came first, I want to read it first. Anyway, I really like the Allen Lee one. Am I missing anything as far as the story goes in that version? Is it the exact same as the 70th anniversary edition(2007) when it comes to the writing? Also, will you review the 75th anniversary edition (2012) and compare it to the 70th anniversary edition (2007) please? And lastly, will you make a video on the best Lord of the Rings editions that are in 3 books (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King) rather than just the really thick ones? I know that the original LotR was one book, but that’s too overwhelming for me to start with. If you do make videos about these, give me a shoutout at the beginning of the videos if you don’t mind please 😂. Again, you make GREAT videos! You seem like such a genuine and nice guy. I subscribed to you. Hopefully you’re channel will blow up one day, I bet it will.
Hey there! Thanks so much for your kind words 🙂 text-wise you need not worry. Different editions contains the same text and appendices (you may find the odd corrected typo here and there from a newer edition but otherwise they’re an exact copy). Thanks also for the video suggestions. I’ll make sure to keep these in mind when I manage to get most LOTR editions some day … still a bit far off though 😅
My edition is a pocket edition but it look like your favorite's one (same dust jacket, with sun and dragon printed in Red color). the boof itself is green with gold letters with forewords by Christopher Tolkien. It cames in 2012, for the 75th anniversary. Based on what you shared here (thanks for that) I think if your looking for a goog pocket edition, you should like it.
Hey there! I think I’ve read or seen something about this 2012 pocket edition. Sounds delightful and I’ll definitely read more about it. Thanks for the heads up 👍
Doesn't look like genuine leather, but imitation/softbound/bonded leather.
That's why I usually stay away from anything softbound /bonded leather or imitation leather. I prefer to save up for the genuine leather binding if such a version is available that is (if I have to chose between both)
Couldn’t agree more 👍
Could you consider the new "Illustrated by the Author" editions of the Tolkien books? I know that only LOTR and Silmarillion have been published so far. However, this coming September, HarperCollins will be putting out a new Hobbit hardback with more of Toklien's own drawings. So it would be good if you could include those newer editions in your consideration.
I like your thorough discussion of the various copies you have. I did have issues with the 70th anniversary hardback. Last year, I was in England and perused the copies of the newer hardback when browsing Foyles and the Waterstones bookshops. I noticed that the pages had shrunk until the margins were too wide for the book size. This isn't good for the book design because printers could be wasting paper. I agree that the copy you have is nicely produced, but the newer reprints are less successful.
Will certainly post a video on The Hobbit edition from September when I get it 😃
That leather one to avoid was the first time I read the Hobbit was with that book back in 2013. Mine looked worn down when I bought it new. Not that worn down though.
Wow, the amount of people reaching out to me about issues with THAT specific Hobbit book is crazy 😄
@brewingbooks Despite its issue, I actually still like the book.
I have a copy of the paperback with the red Smuag and black background along with the matching Silmarlion and Unfinished Tales. It's a nice looking set of mass market paperbacks.
Love those editions yes 😃
Great review. I own the 70th anniversary edition and I also love its design and Tolkien's art, but I find terribly annoying that the spine is glued instead of sewn.
That’s true glued binding is not to be compared with sewn binding. Then again it seems we can’t have the perfect edition 😄
Hey James! I just received my facsimile copy of The Hobbit the other day and it seems to slip out of the slipcase very easily, so I think it just might be your copy that's getting caught that tightly, unfortunately. Mine appears to be a 5th printing though, so it could be something that was corrected in later printings too. I love how the error correction of Dodgson on the rear inside cover was even kept in this edition! Such attention to detail!
Arghh then it IS my copy. Ah well, thanks so much for confirming this for me 🙂 And yes, the detail put into this is really neat.
And I thought I had too many Jane Austen books 😁😁 Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the different Hobbit editions
You're so welcome!
I have the 70th anniversary edition in a slipcase, it is very nice, but the 1978 issue is possibly better. The print on the dust jacket is much richer. The 2007 version looks like a photocopy, as does the slipcase. But both are very good.
That’s great to hear 🙂 Thanks for sharing
It seems to me that the deluxe HarperCollins editions are quite hard to read from (glued spine?) that is very stiff - it seems like you can't open the book flat completely and read it comfortably without intensely keeping the pages from moving? Am I wrong, because I really like how they look!
You’re right actually. At least I find it difficult to read from, as I’m super conscious of breaking the spine. Besides that, the sheer weight of the deluxe editions makes it slightly impractical and tiring to read from.
Oh that sucks. Thanks for the tip. If you are looking for a reading copy, the Jemima Catlin is perfect. Super legible and stays open on its own. Heavy though
My favorite Hobbit book is the one with the mountains in the cover with the red sun. (Idk release year, but I bought it in August)
Just Found your channel, huge LOTR nut here. Ive been buying old paperbacks from the 60's and up of all the books on Etsy. I kinda started because their are so many covers, im addicted lol
Try other fantasy series to lol
@@turtleanton6539 I’ve read 100s of other fantasy series lol, just love this world
Thanks for sharing! Middle-earth IS indeed the best fantasy world out there ;)
My personal favorite is the Hardback illustrated by Alan Lee with with Smaug sleeping on the the jacket.
That’s indeed a beautiful edition 😃
I would like to get the Facsimile of the first edition because I did not know that the Hobbit was 'tweaked' by Tolkien, that's very interesting. I'd love to read that, thanks!
Love your Tolkien videos!
Many thanks for your kind words. Yes indeed. The first edition of The Hobbit contains some very interesting differences with the second editions we’re all used to reading.
@@brewingbooks We are mostly used to 4th editions in reality.
What are everyone’s thoughts on the Folio Society edition? I noted that it was absent from this comparison.
Hi there! The truth is that I hadn’t yet acquired the Folio edition when this video was made. Now, there’s mixed reviews on the Folio Hobbit. Some say it’s great, others feel that this current second run of printing is inferior in quality due to a change in printer and other factors. I personally have not yet experienced any issues with my copy as others (such as creases in binding, loss of gold foil markings on covers etc). Overall it’s a beautiful edition. Different, admittedly - and not in line with other editions of The Hobbit, especially the illustrations, but a worthy contender 🙂
@@brewingbooks Thanks for your comments. Yes, I have heard the same things as the comments you made. I had an older Folio edition at one time and now I regret having sold it. I get tired of manufacturers of many different types of products taking the cheap way out. I would rather pay more for excellent quality.
Thank you for your review! Great presentation.
Glad it was helpful! And thank you very much :)
I'm hoping they make a Hobbit illustrated by Tolkien hardback to go with the recently released LOTR one and the soon to be released Silmarillion.
That would be lovely! And I suspect someone’s already planning it at the publishers 😂
I recently got the Jemima Catlin edition. Its quality is sooo high for the price. Easily competing with the deluxe edition, if not better. And the art work is just amazing in stunning colours. It is a bit more childish, but it fits the book perfectly. Far better IMO than Alan Lee's more adult oriented work. And super easy to read as it stays open on its own due to the nice sewn binding. The maps could be better though, but at least they are not on the end papers where they would eventually deteriorate
Aaa you’re enticing me to get this edition even more now 😅
Wonderful. Based on your comments here, I was enticed into buying this edition for myself. I have no room for it on my shelves, but thank you anyway! 🙂
So, I received this edition of The Hobbit from Amazon yesterday and I agree it's fantastically well made and presented! I will say it's incredibly heavy, and ALL the pages are glossy, which means they seem to have the annoying tendency of reflecting any reading light you happen to be using so that you constantly have to hunt for a non-reflected part or the page to keep reading. But other than that, it was well worth the $23 USD it cost me. Amazon even made a half-hearted attempt to protect the edges with crumpled paper in the box to prevent damage. And it actually worked!
@@-johnny-deep- That's the price we have to pay for deep and vivid colors. If you check the Alan Lee books in comparison, they come in matte paper and the illustrations look dull with with low contrast.
@@dimitris470 Yeah, you're right. Especially when you have pictures embedded with the text on many of the pages and not just a few. If there are only full page pictures , they can get their own glossy pages and still have the text on matte paper.
That was a great overview - thanks! I have the Catlin edition. I bought it to read to my children as it's so generously illustrated, they're great. It is however printed on glossy white paper throughout, because of the amount of illustrations I suppose. It's not the best from a tactile perspective I think, but makes sense overall.
As an aside, me and my six and five year old were thumbing through it together and I pointed at a picture of Gandalf and told them who and what he was. I then asked 'do you know what the elves call him?', 'no, what?' they said, 'Mithrandir' I replied - and they both went 'oooohh'. The power of language :)
What a wonderful story! Thanks for sharing 😃 The story in The Hobbit is a universal language
Just a note: The changes to Riddles in the Dark were actually published without Tolkiens knowledge initially. He wrote the amendments much later in publication and submitted them to Unwin for review, but didn’t intend them to make it to print. He was surprised when the updated impression was sent to him and he said (to Unwin) that he is now accepting that essentially two versions of the Riddles chapter exist. This means his changes were less intentionally meant to make the ‘LotR narrative fit better’ (and so were perhaps more accidental in a way).
Thanks for the insight on that🙂
11:43 I have this one. Also bought a Finnish translation with Tove Jansson's artwork for my wife, for she doesn't understand english.
Fantastic! How's the artwork and translation in your opinion?
@@brewingbooks The artwork is certainly different from what you'd expect but i think it fits The Hobbit, as it is a childrens book.
I have 2 editions! The first one is the 1995 edition that has the sun and rune borders in gilt finish, and the other one is the collector's edition published in 2012 both by harpercollins. Any chance you have it sir? Would be really glad to see it in your video soon!
Both are great editions 👍 Though I don not have such copies myself
Thanks for the review! It was super useful to me as a buyer of a nice edition of the book.
A few questions I have:
- Is the Folio Society's edition any good? I would have been cool to be part of this review as well.
- Do you know which which book contains which illustrations? For example, I know some contain 5 illustrations and other 7 (I believe) by Tolkein. Other (like Alan Lee's) I am not sure if they contain Tolkein's illustration as well or not?
Awesome review! It helped me a lot, so thanks for making these 🙏
Thanks very much. As for the Folio edition, I don’t have a copy of those so I really can’t tell.
As for the illustrations, there are several from both Lee and Tolkien but not both in the same book ( as far as I can tell). It all depends on the particular edition.
9:27 No, it is not that particular copy.... I was curious to listen to what you were going to say... mine does just the same...
So glad to see that I’m not the only one who had this problem with the pocket edition
You appear to have a bad copy of the Facsimile First Edition, mine slips in and out of the slip case as it should.
Ouch! Thanks for the confirmation 👍
Yep. I was so excited to get that pocket edition. It was my “airplane book” for years. But the cover was always flaking off… I treat all of my books with care, but the quality of the cover is just truly abysmal.
Ouch! Sorry to hear that 😔
I haven't read _The Hobbit_ yet, since I want my first reading of the book to be from a copy that preserves the 1937 text. That first edition facsimile is just what I've been waiting for.
Very interesting approach to The Hobbit. Love it! 😄
Wow. I have both the Easton Press version (which I just reread a couple of weeks ago) and a pocketbook version. After watching this I went and pulled down the pocket version (read only once) and almost the entire front cover peeled off because it was stuck to an adjacent book :-(
Ouch! It seems to be an issue with many of this particular edition.
On a side note, what are your thoughts on the Easton Press version? 🙂
Maybe eventually find a good book binder and get the delux pocket edition the cover it deserves. I really like the format and the paper quality looks good from the video. I got a copy of the normal pocket edition and really enjoyed reading it in that format. I hope that the LOTR by Houghton Mifflin with a similar leatherette cover and format does not have the same problems as the Hobbit. I was thinking of getting this edition of LOTR as my paperback edition is a little worse for wear now.
That's a great idea!
It does have exactly the same problems as the Hobbit. I have seen many leatherette LoTR pocked editions that have crumbled to dust. They are rubbish.
@@stu356 Such a shame, I was attracted to this format, but I won't buy the set knowing this
Great overview! The Deluxe & Illustrated edition by Alan Lee (2020) are my favourites. I do not own the 70th Anniversary Edition but that one just looks outstanding & looks more 'Tolkien-like' with his own artwork on the dustjacket. I've thought about getting this edition along with the other books that have the similar design cue but never got to it. I think I've got just enough editions now
“Tolkien-like” is precisely the term I’d give it. Cheers!
I have the 75th Anniversary, which is nearly identical to the 70th. The printing on the spine is on the vertical and a much lighter shade of gold, which presents as a little less refined. If you do go for it, keep this in mind!
@@FortyHurts Thank you very much for this info. Most helpful 😃
Should I start with the Silmarillion or Hobbit? Im new to reading the books. I bought the one with 4 books and Alan lee illustration and the silmarillion one idk who illustrated it I think JJR Tolkien himself. Its a reprint of his illustrations or either his sons.
I actually kind of prefer that one over the rest now cause I like the weathered and old look, makes me feel like a old and wise wizard with a collection of ancient artifacts.
It does look like that true! 😄
0:00 What's that topmost Hobbit edition? I have the pocket deluxe set copy (am fan of small, light books) and i wonder how small that edition of yours is?
You kinda look like the late Angus Cloud in that opening.
EDIT: lol 13:35 is apparently the disappointing one. My copy has (14:19) the same endpaper maps and artwork within.
14:58 Ok I'm trying to understand the difference between this edition and mine. Mine has no back cover and has a different color(red cover with black letters on the front, nothing written on backcover) or "gold" pages. Otherwise they're similar.
Very interesting, thanks.
I really want that facsimile slipcase edition, but it doesn’t look like it’s available in the US
I acquired mine from Amazon UK. Have you tried other online retailers by any chance?
Who’s the maker of your poetic edda behind you?
That would be Folio Society 🙂
@@brewingbooksawesome thank you! Love your videos!
What are your thoughts on the Easton press versions?.... I want to add them to my collection.
I actually don’t own any Easton editions, though I’ve heard some very positive things about them, and eventually look forward to collecting them at some stage 🙂
I have the 70th anniversary edition, I was given it when I was young, I love it.
It is a really beautiful book 😃
What is isbn #?
@@muggsy14able ISBN is the International Standard Book Number which is a unique number given to every published book/edition that acts as that books identifier.