The Hobbit (Enhanced Edition)

Title sounds like a Peter Jackson project, but that's not what it is. It's a kindle edition of the Hobbit which I recently bought and have enjoyed a lot so far. Here's the book description from amazon:


Exclusive to this Enhanced version of the eBook are recently discovered audio recordings by J.R.R. Tolkien, and high-resolution colour images of all of Tolkien’s illustrations for the book, many of which are also included in their earlier black-and-white versions and can be revealed by a simple swipe of the screen.

A Foreword by Christopher Tolkien, complete with illustrations including manuscript pages and unused drawings, examines the writing of the book. This Enhanced eBook also includes recently discovered audio recordings of J.R.R. Tolkien reading excerpts from The Hobbit, including the dwarves’ party song, the account of their capture by the three trolls, and Bilbo Baggins’s creepy encounter with the hideous Gollum.

Bilbo Baggins enjoys a quiet and contented life, with no desire to travel far from the comforts of home. Then one day the wizard Gandalf and a band of dwarves arrive unexpectedly and enlist his services—as a burglar—on a dangerous expedition to raid the treasure-hoard of Smaug the dragon. Bilbo's life is never to be the same again.

The Hobbit was an instant success when it was first published in 1937, and 75 years later Tolkien's epic tale of hobbits, elves, dwarves, goblins, magic and adventure has lost none of its appeal.


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005IH0MAI/ref=oh_d__o00_details_o00__i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Anyone else got this? I'm at Riddles in the Dark now, and there's an audio file with Tolkien reading a large part of the chapter in this edition. I love how he reads the riddles, and reads Gollum's voice. It's also interesting to see that Andy Serkis' performance is in many ways very similar to Tolkien's I also love the many drawings included, Tolkien had a very nice style that goes so well with the story. Another interesting thing is that what Tolkien is reading in the audio files sometimes differs from the text in the book, so I'm not sure which version is which. There are only minor differences, though. Anyway, there's lots of cool stuff in here, so just thought I'd share this if anyone has a kindle or a smartphone/tablet and would like something awesome to read

is it an e-book?

Yup. Will run on any device with a kindle application installed.

Though, I should perhaps add: The audio clips won't play on my actual Kindle as there are no speakers on it, so I use my iPod for those.

Not available for purchase in the US.  

oh, ok, i don't have any of that

You can download a kindle app for your PC free from Amazon Not quite the same feeling reading the Hobbit on a PC, though

That sounds pretty awesome. I wish it was available in the US, although I have enough copies of The Hobbit already.

I haven't gotten into the whole kindle thing. My wife has one and loves it, but I just enjoy the feel of a book in my hands. There is just something about physically turning the pages as I read, that I find relaxing. I'm up to technology in many ways but somethings I just prefer the tried and true old methods like a good book in my hands.

Till Kindles can smell like a proper book Im not buying into it.

I was like that too till I bought one, Petty They're excellent for travelling, small size and you can have as many books as you like on them. I still find myself "turning" the pages quite often before realising it's a Kindle, you really don't notice the difference. Not so relevant for you, perhaps, but it's an excellent tool for those whose native language isn't English, as you can look up every word in the Oxford dictionary just by pressing them with your finger. I still read "proper" books as well, though, I too enjoy actually turning pagesl, but owning a Kindle and reading books in paper aren't mutally exclusive to eachother

Are you actually suggesting I reappraise my stance and possibly even change my ways on something?!  

Wouldn't dream of it Though this version of the Hobbit is definitely worth a look, kindle or no. Download the kindle PC app and try a sample, I think you'll like it The sample even includes Tolkien singing the dwarves' clean-up song

I like the weight of the book in my hands and feeling the paper as I turn the pages. Though I read Beowulf on my ipod because it was free.  

Free you say RA? Stuff is free?
Well why didnt you say that before?  
Where can I get one?

Old stuff like Don Quixote, Beowulf or Frankenstein is free on ibooks (or whatever it's actually called); they're fun reads. Not sure about the Kindle though.

For some reason and Idon't know why, John's reading of his own words with Gollum so freaked me out that I stopped it half way, it was so ....... hideous and spine tingling But I had a soft cover book and the record and a map in a boxed set.

On another note, it is interesting to me that the maid elf was born not far from my father's place of birth and she was discovered at a city I shop at. It is the headquarters of the Disney Club Penguin as well, Hasia's favorite place.

i used to play disney club penguin, then it started to cost money and i didn't bother.

How ADORABLE. a little penguin that was you!
What was your penguin name, I cannot wait to tell Hasia. She will follow you like a puppie as she does Petty. He could just say he blew up Hyde Park and she would defend him. She cares not what I think. Yes they charge a lot now. Hasia owns about five houses, including a beach front and the Star Wars ship of Luke and co which she turned into a house But it angers me , all the apps that chlldren have to pay for, I won't and just to own things you have to pay.
But it is what she likes, and she pays for her own things from work and allwance.
The don't sensor conversations like they did. You can actually say non scripted things But anything offensive and you're out. So probably you would not last that long!
Her last time on for two years wore me out. She ended up with twelve puffles. When she was sleeping I was on the site earning coins to feed them all and the clothes and the special things. I was a wreck. But on the plus side I BEAT THE SENSAI AND WENT TO THE DRAGON HOUSE. IT WAS MY MOMENT OF JOY AT THE DOJO FOR ALL THE HOURS SPENT BUYING THINGS AND EARNING THE COINS. TO THIS DAY I HATE PUFFLE ROUND UP.

He could just say he blew up Hyde Park and she would defend him. - leelee

That was just drunken ranting! I wasn't actually going to do it, have you seen the cost of explosives these days, shocking  

Sinister71 wrote:I haven't gotten into the whole kindle thing. My wife has one and loves it, but I just enjoy the feel of a book in my hands. There is just something about physically turning the pages as I read, that I find relaxing. I'm up to technology in many ways but somethings I just prefer the tried and true old methods like a good book in my hands.

I don't own an e-reader, but I've used a few different models that I borrowed from friends.  They don't replace the reading experience of a physical book, but I don't think they're really supposed to either.  It's all about convenience, and there's no way I could bring a dozen (much less a hundred) books with me on a vacation without an e-reader.  Also, I don't have to be as worried about them getting wet if I want to read at the pool or beach.  And they don't have covers that get folded if I shove them in a backpack.

Do E readers strain the eyes? I tend to read books in big chunks-5 or 6 hours at a time, and I'm not sure whether the lighting or small font size on an e reader would be something I could get used to.

In anycase I'm one of those geeks who likes having physical copies of stuff.

A lot of e-readers (but not all) have a thing called e-ink, which is a totally different sort of screen from what computers or phones have.  The screen is not back-lit and looks a lot like paper, so eye strain is no different than reading a normal book.  And e-readers also let you change the font size (and margins, and even the type of font).

i didn't see your reply leelee  that's so cool  i owned three puffles but i can't remember my penguin name. i didn't have all that stuff, but i used to collect when there was these happenings like st. patricks day and i went looking for easter eggs. me and a friend were like so on to club penguin  i loved that pizza game and going on missions for the HQ