"The Hobbit" by J.R.R.Tolkien

"The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien is the book before the "Lord of the Rings" that was published first in 1937. The most heartwarming part is that the author wrote this for his children as a story to enjoy beside the fireplace.

I remember having this book in my childhood but never getting to read it. It seemed somehow difficult and unreadable for me at that time. Now, at the age of 37, I have come up to reading this book and I'm happy I did.

The story is about a Hobbit - a small sized humanoid creature and a thief, who is being visited by a wizard and 13 dwarves in order to go and recover the treasure once stolen by an evil dragon. At the end of the book, the wizard tells Hobbit that all his challenges were there in order to help Hobbit grow (they were somehow magically simulated). 

The Hobbit, although a thief, is our hero and being a home-body and not very brave he sets out on a dangerous journey throughout the woods. It's about how a bunch of tiny dwarfs and a tiny Hobbit go through scariest challenges and battles - they cannot go back. After overcoming the challenges on the way, Hobbit starts becoming better and better, gains confidence and becomes the leader of the group. His journey reminds me of the journey of a human in life. The challenges are simulated and yet a human being grows while overcoming those challenges.

It took time for me to start liking and "getting" this book. At first it was weird reading about dwarfs and a Hobbit travelling through the woods with the whole mythical landscape being dark, wet and cold but later it start ringing the bell that there is a great message hidden behind it all. I also started liking Tolkien's writing style and description of mountains and lakes. I found it to be really relaxing to be taken to some unknown natural land without plastic floating in the rivers and without mobile phones.

I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend this to absolutely everyone as a never dyeing classic but when you read, try to read between the lines and see what do you get out of it.