Thankful Reads Day 2: The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

Title: The Hobbit
Author: J. R. R. Tolkien
Page Count: 366
Format Read: Hardback
Genre: Fantasy
Keywords: Magic, Adventure, Dragons
Kid Appropriate: Teens and older

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.Written for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when it was first published in 1937. Now recognized as a timeless classic, this introduction to the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum, and the spectacular world of Middle-earth recounts of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent. The text in this 372-page paperback edition is based on that first published in Great Britain by Collins Modern Classics (1998), and includes a note on the text by Douglas A. Anderson (2001). Unforgettable!

Why I'm thankful:

Everyone has that story that gets at their heart. It is the tale that can lift them up when they are struggling, bring a smile to their face, calm them, and all around bring joy. I have many books in my life that make me happy. The Hobbit is one of my favorites that has never failed to bring me happiness when I am facing difficult times.

The first time I read this book I was fifteen and had been gifted a special anniversary edition by my parents. It was beautiful with illustrations coloring the glossy pages. It was so beautiful I was scared to touch the pages long enough to read it. Each night I would read it as carefully as I could, careful to avoid bending any pages. It left me with that warm feeling of when a loved one tells you a story before you can read for yourself. Tolkien is obviously gifted with world building and tale spinning, but in this book he also shows an ability to make the reader feel that loved feeling.

Even in my mid-twenties I return to this book whenever I am feeling down or a bit lost in the world. Without fail, whether it's as simple as a moody day or as deep as loss, it fills me with the same feelings it did ten years ago. Love, hope, and bravery. That is what The Hobbit means for me.