Literary Matters: Thoughts on a new illustrated edition of The Hobbit

J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit has a long and colorful publishing history as one of the most beloved fantasy tales of all time. That history continues with a new edition that seems to be aimed at reclaiming the written version of the story as a way to introduce it to young readers. It’s a handsome hardcover book with illustrations by the young Jemima Catlin, who was hand-picked for the assignment by the Tolkien Estate. You can read my thoughts about it as a book-loving curmudgeon who first encountered the story nearly 50 years ago, over here at the Sleeping Hedgehog.