{"product_id":"9780008627843_the-hobbit-illustrated-by-the-author","title":"The Hobbit: Illustrated by the Author","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFor the first time ever, a special enhanced edition of the enchanting prelude to \u003cem\u003eThe Lord of the Rings\u003c\/em\u003e, illustrated throughout with 50 sketches, drawings, paintings and maps by J.R.R. Tolkien himself.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBilbo 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 an unexpected journey ‘there and back again’. They have a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon…\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWritten for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, \u003cem\u003eThe Hobbit\u003c\/em\u003e was published on 21 September 1937. With a beautiful cover design, a handful of black \u0026amp;amp; white drawings and two maps by the author himself, the book became an instant success and was reprinted shortly afterwards with five colour plates.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTolkien’s own selection of finished paintings and drawings have become inseparable from his text, adorning editions of \u003cem\u003eThe Hobbit\u003c\/em\u003e for more than 85 years. But the published art has afforded only a glimpse of Tolkien’s creative process, and many additional sketches, coloured drawings and maps – although exhibited and published elsewhere – have never appeared within the pages of \u003cem\u003eThe Hobbit\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn this unique enhanced edition of Tolkien’s enchanting classic tale, the full panoply of his art is reproduced for the first time, presenting a grand total of 50 illustrations to accompany Bilbo Baggins on his adventure ‘there and back again’.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"J. R. R. Tolkien, Illustrated by J. R. R. Tolkien","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47285762457749,"sku":"9780008627843","price":15.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0484\/3175\/9509\/files\/9780008627843.jpg?v=1776992253","url":"https:\/\/harpercollins.com.au\/products\/9780008627843_the-hobbit-illustrated-by-the-author","provider":"HarperCollins AU","version":"1.0","type":"link"}