Happy Wednesday, everyone! The Fantasy fiction celebration Wyrd and Wonder continues, and so shall we, this time with a timeless joy: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Everyone has their opinions on this story, sure, but I’d love to share a sip with you to discover what it is about the voice of this novel that brings readers and writers back time and again.
If you do not see the audio player above, you can access the podcast here.
I have written about The Hobbit’s worldbuilding before. If you’d like to read about that, click here.
If there are any stories you would like to recommend for sipping on this podcast, let me know in the comments below! I’d also welcome reading any indie authors’ own stories. I keep discovering more and more fantasy books I’d like to try, so perhaps we’ll stick with fantasy? Or perhaps not! I’m enjoying the promise of possibility far too much. x
Read on, share on, and write on, my friends!
Jean Lee's World 
That was awesome, Jean! I’ve long been a fan of The Hobbit, ever since my mom read it to me when I was about seven. I read it myself a few years later and those opening sentences just made me smile. What a wonderful world Tolkien created!
You’re so right about the narrator. Something to have a play around with as a writer, I think.
BTW I adore being read to. Won’t you come round and read to me..?
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I know just what you mean with those opening lines! It’s like a hug from an old friend. 🙂
Hey, I LOVE reading aloud, and if I could afford the plane ticket, I’d be there! 🙂 xxxxxxx
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I read The Hobbit about 50 years ago. Liked it a lot. I bet that Tolkien is one of the most-read writers of all time.
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I think he is as well, Neil! He’s also such a great inspiration in that he enjoyed meandering through his world for his own pleasure. That’s something we should all remember: we write because we love to write. If others enjoy what we do, that’s awesome! But what matters most is that *we* love what we create. xxxxxxxxx
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Like Yeah, Another Blogger, I read the Hobbit about 50 years ago. Still hangs with me.
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There are those lines that cling, don’t they? Especially that opener. My daughter is supposed to read it with her classmates at school next year–I hope they enjoy it!
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I’m sure they will.
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One of my favorite books by one of my favorite authors!
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It’s a joy! I think we just all need to find it at our own time. I was not ready for this book as a kid, but I was ready as an adult!
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Plowed through all four books at 14 and it changed my world view. Today we watch the Peter Jackson movies every couple years around Christmas when it’s time for “Lord of the Rings” again. Absolutely some of my favorite books of all time.
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Oh that’s awesome! I finally had the family watch the LOTR this winter, and…well, they didn’t mind it. 🙂 The Hobbit will be more interesting, as even I’m not sure I want to do the extended cuts…
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I don’t think there’s been a Hobbit movie made that l much liked, but LOTR hits it out of the park. If the kids knew the stories they’d live the movies.
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Yes, exactly! The animated one that Rankin/Bass put together isn’t bad, and the animation reminds me of this book of Norse gnomes we had when I was a kid. We just have to introduce the stories a little at a time 🙂
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True. Cause, kids. 🤪
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“Love” the movies. Let’s hope they don’t live them 😂😂😂
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LMAO! Oh I know!
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😂😂😂
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You read the opening of The Hobbit beautifully Jean. I could really hear Tolkien’s intention in your voice.
His opening paragraphs echo the style classic fairy stories of the time- Perrault’s Tales of Mother Goose were originally written for adults and likewise the brothers Grimm’s gory folk stories By the Edwardian era, with the increasing recognition of childhood being as distinct state of development, they had become sanitised, probably through Hans Christian Andersen who actually wrote for children.
I was struck by the similarities of Tolkien’s voice to that CS Lewis used in the Narnia books. No surprise he influenced him;s he and Lewis were both of very similar backgrounds.
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Indeed they were, those Inklings! I love how Diana Wynne Jones described learning from them in university. Lewis was so personable that his lecture hall was always full. Tolkien, however, hated lecturing, so he spent the whole time mumbling at the chalkboard while he wrote. I think Jones said she was one of 7 who stuck with the class until the end because when you *could* hear Tolkien you picked up all sorts of interesting, insightful things.
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That is fascinating
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One of my favourite books. First book I ever read. I could listen to you read the whole book. You are so good at this x
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Thank you! I was born to be a crotchety grandpa…well grandma…you know, lol. 🙂
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