The Hobbit
30 minute blog, creative writing
Summer, like every summer before this one, was very special to me. This one promised to be even more intriguing as I was planning on starting a new book. Lately, my literary exploits had taken me through some of the higher numbered Hardy Boys books, continuing a series that seemed to last forever. I needed change and a different perspective of things.
Never having read any fantasy I decided I needed to see for myself what I had only heard from other kids, usually older. After consulting with a nice, but really old looking librarian, I was directed to an aisle with a name and a number and began my search in the Ts for my number. At the very end of the aisle I found my book. I gazed in disappointment at my selection. The book was small and had been well read. The binding was disintegrating and the cover was barely readable. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien. Instead of dragons and wizards on the cover, a painted picture showed some snow capped mountains with bird like shapes flying above them. After reading the inside cover, I thought I was reading some story from the sixties. This book was old. Going against my better judgment I decided to try the book. Today would be the day I started down a road I will never forget.
As usual the beach was foggy and so I cuddled up in my beach blanket and gave the book one more browse before diving in. The official title on the inside was The Hobbit or There and Back Again and was illustrated by the author. “This is a story of long ago.” The first simple lines drew me in, encapsulated me, and held me in awe for the next two days before spitting me out a transformed little boy. Dragons, wizards, orcs, and magic were things I had vaguely heard of. Now the world around me seemed somehow different. Wizards roamed the skies and magic awaited in the next classroom. I now had a fantastical place I could visit that differed by leaps and bounds form reality. Escape for a little boy.
There are a lot of fantasy books to choose from today but one remains the classic that inspired all of the authors along my wall. The transformations that affected my whole attitude and perception of the world after reading The Hobbit continued from that day and never ended. Today, after my son has now seen the movies from books following The Hobbit, I am amazed that this tiny book could have such a lasting and growing power.
Summer, like every summer before this one, was very special to me. This one promised to be even more intriguing as I was planning on starting a new book. Lately, my literary exploits had taken me through some of the higher numbered Hardy Boys books, continuing a series that seemed to last forever. I needed change and a different perspective of things.
Never having read any fantasy I decided I needed to see for myself what I had only heard from other kids, usually older. After consulting with a nice, but really old looking librarian, I was directed to an aisle with a name and a number and began my search in the Ts for my number. At the very end of the aisle I found my book. I gazed in disappointment at my selection. The book was small and had been well read. The binding was disintegrating and the cover was barely readable. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien. Instead of dragons and wizards on the cover, a painted picture showed some snow capped mountains with bird like shapes flying above them. After reading the inside cover, I thought I was reading some story from the sixties. This book was old. Going against my better judgment I decided to try the book. Today would be the day I started down a road I will never forget.
As usual the beach was foggy and so I cuddled up in my beach blanket and gave the book one more browse before diving in. The official title on the inside was The Hobbit or There and Back Again and was illustrated by the author. “This is a story of long ago.” The first simple lines drew me in, encapsulated me, and held me in awe for the next two days before spitting me out a transformed little boy. Dragons, wizards, orcs, and magic were things I had vaguely heard of. Now the world around me seemed somehow different. Wizards roamed the skies and magic awaited in the next classroom. I now had a fantastical place I could visit that differed by leaps and bounds form reality. Escape for a little boy.
There are a lot of fantasy books to choose from today but one remains the classic that inspired all of the authors along my wall. The transformations that affected my whole attitude and perception of the world after reading The Hobbit continued from that day and never ended. Today, after my son has now seen the movies from books following The Hobbit, I am amazed that this tiny book could have such a lasting and growing power.
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