Hello, hello, my friends and readers!
I am guessing that you all are excited about the coming of summer, and it's finally here! Gone are the short, wintry days of yesteryear and here are the long, sunbathed days of now.
Of course, if you are like me and love the winter, then summer is eh, okay. You look forward to getting out of school and taking a break, but you get more excited when orange-colored leaves start to spread around the trees. Now, don't get me wrong, I love the summer season: warm, sunny-yellow days, a slight breeze to ruffle your hair, just around 75 degrees. Ah...
But living where it gets around 90 degrees regularly, I find myself spending more time enjoying the sunshine from an air-conditioned room, reading a good book or playing around with the nephews. Who, by the way, are unbearably cute. XD. So, what better way to enjoy Sahara-type days than to read cool books by the window? (pun intended XD) I know I will. Why don't you grab a cold glass of iced tea and come and join me?
I've decided - and hopefully will remember - to pick and post one book for each month of the summer. These books will come from my favorites list, ones I continually go back to for a good visit from time to time. I'll give you a peek into some background about the author, cover the main plot and settings of the book, and discuss the delightful, colorful characters who live within the pages.
First up to bat, one with a glorious amount of wit, adventure, and no small amount of friendship:
1.The Hobbit
This book has been worn through by numerous readings by myself and my siblings (I know my brother has read it at least five times). It holds precious memories from my childhood, when we kids would quote, sing, and reenact parts from both book and movie. Now, don't get me started on the differences between these two, because I do not have enough time nor the crayons to explain them to you. Overall, à mon avis, as the French say, the first movie was well done. But the book is still better.
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892, in South Africa. When he was little, it is said that he was bitten by a baboon spider, which led to his overall dislike for the creatures (now we know where Shelob came from). After the death of his father when Tolkien was three, he and his family settled in England. Tolkien then spent many happy years exploring the English countryside, including his aunt's farm, Bag End.
In 1911, just a few years before going off to war, he took a summer holiday on the mountains of Switzerland, which later became the mines of Moria and the Misty Mountains. His experiences as a soldier in World War I also made their way into the artful creations of the The Hobbit and later The Lord of the Rings.
Later in his life, Tolkien completed but never published a translation of the famous epic Beowulf, served as a codebreaker in World War II, became the Merton Professor of English Language and Literature in 1945, and made Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1972. His contributions to the world of literature gave him the unofficial title as the "Father of modern fantasy." His better known works are The Hobbit (1937), The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955), and The Silmarillion (1977), but he also published "On Fairy-Stories" and several children's books during his lifetime. Tolkien died September 2, 1973, and was buried with his beloved wife in Wolvercote Cemetery, Oxford.
The Hobbit covers the enchanting story of one unlikely hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, who gets caught up in an adventure he didn't want, but didn't know he needed. Joining a band of unruly but loyal dwarves, he sets out - without his pocket handkerchief - to cross the unknown world in order to steal the most treasured piece of the dragon's hoard, the Arkenstone. Along the way, Bilbo and Co. encounter run-ins with mountain trolls, who almost "squash them into jelly"; fight against goblins in the deep of the Misty Mountains; are imprisoned in the dungeons of the wood-elves; and eventually take a stand in the Battle of the Five Armies. And that's only a few of the perilous yet exhilarating adventures of which the Company partakes.
Map of the Lonely Mountain
Tolkien's world of Middle-Earth comes alive in the pages of the story: the lush greenery and delicate arches of Rivendell; the thick woods surrounding the expansive kingdom of the Wood-elves in Mirkwood; the cold, hewn stone of the Lonely Mountain; and the wildflower-covered lanes and roads of the Shire.
Now we could spend all day and well into next week talking about the main protagonists of this book, but unfortunately, my tea cup is just about empty and the sun is well past its noon place. So we'll just touch on a few of the beloved characters that riddled Tolkien's mind with their footsteps.
Bilbo Baggins is described as being "a very well-to-do hobbit", living in his ancestral home of Bag End. He is an odd, very conscientious, worrier of a hobbit, but shows strong resilience in the face of danger. In his younger days, he was known to gallivant across the hills and knolls of the Shire and bring home all sorts of interesting tidbits he stored in his pockets. Later, after he inherited Bag End, he lived the normal, quiet life of a hobbit, never once dreaming of even thinking of going on any adventures at all. That is, until a wizard appeared on his doorstep.
Gandalf the Grey is an old, eccentric wizard who inevitably irritates everyone but is also loved by everyone. He owns an enormous age, but holds himself very well, albeit a bit clumsy and rough-looking, and has a special fondness for "Old Toby."
The king under the mountain, Thorin Oakenshield, comes into this story "not at all pleased at falling flat on Bilbo's mat with Bifur, Bofur, and Bomber on top of him." He is described as being "haughty" in his character, being from a line of kings, but can be a good-natured dwarf when he wants to, and ultimately learns that friendship is far better than all the gold in the world.
Bag EndOf course, what would this post be without mentioning the dragon who started it all: Smaug. Dragons are said to have a lust for gold, and Smaug the Golden was no exception. Destroying the dwarf kingdom of Erebor, Smaug laid waste to the rest of the land surrounding the Lonely Mountain, and coveted the gold inside with a desperate lust. He is by far one of the most clever, artful creatures ever to be seen on these pages, yet also has the most twisted mind of them all.
The rest of the Company I will honorably mention in no particular order: Dwalin, Balin, Fili, Kili, Dori, Ori, Nori, Gloin, Oin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur. *Side note: I would love to see who your favorite dwarf is, so please leave a comment below!
Other memorable characters include Elrond Half-elven; Galadriel, Lady of Light; Radagast the Brown; Saruman the White; Bard the Bowman; Thranduil, King of the Woodland Realm; Dain Ironfoot; and last, but not least, Gollum, or Smeagol, as he is also known.
My personal recommendation of this book: Five out of Five stars.
The Hobbit has been a fan favorite for almost a century, and has woven its way into the hearts of many young readers and taken them beyond the pages into a world of hobbits-holes, enchanted forests, and epic battle-fights. It holds a special place in my heart because of the memories surrounding it. I do hope you enjoy this book as much as I do.
There is so much more of this wonderful book I could cover, but alas, I am out of time. I do hope you enjoyed this chat with me and that I will see you again next month!
Enjoy the adventure!
