The Hobbit

Executive Summary: This book really is a classic. When our book club decided to read it this month before the release of the first movie, I was surprised at just how many people hadn't read it before.This is one of the first fantasy books I ever read, and it's still great as an adult as it was as a child. This is also a great book to read to/with your kids to hopefully pass along a love of fantasy, adventure and reading.Full ReviewI first read this book for my 9th grade English class, and I don't have fond memories of that first read, largely due to my teacher. I rediscovered this book in college when it came in a box set with the Lord of the Rings books that I wanted to read before Fellowship of the Ring came out in theaters. I found that read through a wholly different experience.I believe this was only my 3rd read-through of this book, though I may have read it a few times in college with each movie. I was happy it lived up to my 5 star rating.Since last reading this book, I've gone on to discover many great authors like [a:Robert Jordan 6252 Robert Jordan http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1175475715p2/6252.jpg], [a:George R.R. Martin 346732 George R.R. Martin http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1351944410p2/346732.jpg], and [a:Brandon Sanderson 38550 Brandon Sanderson http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1201547425p2/38550.jpg] (among others). All of these gentlemen are quite descriptive in their writings and I greatly enjoy them.Even [a:J.R.R. Tolkien 656983 J.R.R. Tolkien http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1329870573p2/656983.jpg] is much more detailed in his later books. It makes a book like this a bit of light interlude between heavier novels. Great events occur and pass in only a few pages, and the pace of this book is breakneck.Mr. Bilbo Baggins goes from lazy days in the Shire to encounters with Dwarves, Wizards, Trolls, Goblins, Worgs, Eagles, Elves, Humans and of course a Dragon. All in the span of 300 pages!He journey from scared Hobbit to brave thief who saves his friends from trouble on more than one occasion, brokers a peace and is present for one of Middle Earth's great battles.And none of that even mentions his finding of the Ring of Power, which went on to be inspire the basis for one of the greatest fantasy series of all time.A lot is left to the imagination, which makes this a great book for kids, who imaginations need little prompting to run wild. This is a book every parent should share with their children.