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The Hobbit Companion
In The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings , J.R.R. Tolkien spun a clever web of wordplay and verbal hocus-pocus. Inspired by these linguistic games, master "hobbit investigator" David Day untangles the crafty puns and riddles, hidden meanings, and mythical associations that lie beneath the saga's thrilling surface. More than just a delightful study of an author who deeply loved and understood the intricacies of the English language (Tolkien helped compile the prestigious Oxford English Dictionary ), this magnificently illustrated companion charms with its own beauty and enhances our understanding of one of the world's great masterpieces. Starting with the word "hobbit" itself, this illuminating guide moves on to examine Bilbo Baggins, the Gollum and the goblins, hobbit heritage and history, Buckland and Brandy Hall, Gandalf, Shire Society, the Fellowship, and much more. Intriguing to the uninitiated and enchanting to the enthusiast, this sparkling companion enhances the enjoyment of Tolkien's dark, mysterious world.
96 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1997
17 people are currently reading
540 people want to read
About the author
David Day
278 books263 followersDavid Day (b. 14 October 1947 in Victoria, British Columbia) is a Canadian author of over forty books: poetry, natural history, ecology, mythology, fantasy, and children's literature. Internationally he is most notably known for his literary criticism on J. R. R. Tolkien and his works.
After finishing high school in Victoria, British Columbia, Day worked as a logger for five years on Vancouver Island before graduating from the University of Victoria. Subsequently he has travelled widely, most frequently to Greece and Britain.
Day has published six books of poems for adults and ten illustrated children's books of fiction and poetry. His non-fiction books on natural history include The Doomsday Book of Animals, The Whale War, Eco Wars: a Layman Guide to the Environmental Movement, Noah's Choice and most recently Nevermore: A Book of Hours - Meditations on Extinction (2012).
His Doomsday Book was a Time Magazine Book of the Year and became the basis for the 100 part animated-short TV series "Lost Animals of the 20th Century".
David Days best-selling books on the life and works of JRR Tolkien include: A Tolkien Bestiary, Tolkien: the Illustrated Encyclopedia, Tolkien's Ring, The World of Tolkien and The Hobbit Companion.
Day's Tolkien's Ring was illustrated by academy award-winning artist Alan Lee, as was Castles, The Animals Within, Gothic and Quest For King Arthur.
After finishing high school in Victoria, British Columbia, Day worked as a logger for five years on Vancouver Island before graduating from the University of Victoria. Subsequently he has travelled widely, most frequently to Greece and Britain.
Day has published six books of poems for adults and ten illustrated children's books of fiction and poetry. His non-fiction books on natural history include The Doomsday Book of Animals, The Whale War, Eco Wars: a Layman Guide to the Environmental Movement, Noah's Choice and most recently Nevermore: A Book of Hours - Meditations on Extinction (2012).
His Doomsday Book was a Time Magazine Book of the Year and became the basis for the 100 part animated-short TV series "Lost Animals of the 20th Century".
David Days best-selling books on the life and works of JRR Tolkien include: A Tolkien Bestiary, Tolkien: the Illustrated Encyclopedia, Tolkien's Ring, The World of Tolkien and The Hobbit Companion.
Day's Tolkien's Ring was illustrated by academy award-winning artist Alan Lee, as was Castles, The Animals Within, Gothic and Quest For King Arthur.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
October 25, 2024
Since reading this book three years ago, I have discovered that its author is not the most reliable of sources when it comes to Tolkien - or anything else, for that matter. If you are interested, I would encourage you to read David Day's page on Tolkien Gateway, if not for its educational then for its humorous value.
Rating: 4 stars
So picture me, in the SFF isle of my local used book store, en route for my regular ransacking of the Tolkien collection, and I see this book. I pick it up because I think it will be an easy little companion/side book for when I next read The Hobbit. I was wrong. This was so unexpectedly complex, and so much longer than it seemed! I did some quick calculations, and this book can get up to almost 800 words per page. 800. A normal book would have only 500!! So yeah, this thing doesn't even breach 100 pages, but no wonder it felt like more.
But this little book is all about the philological puns (translation: language-y historical plays on words) Tolkien incorporated into his works. I'll give you an example. It has always stood out to me that Tolkien very specifically decided to name Bilbo the burglar for Thorin and co. and I have always wondered why. Why not a thief? While they both work, the definition for thief (a person who steals another person's property, especially by stealth and without using force or threat of violence) seems to fit Bilbo much more comfortably than that of burglary (illegal entry of a building with intent to commit a crime, especially theft), so why did Tolkien specifically choose the latter? Well, a homonym of "burglar" is (no, not "burger"; go eat lunch) "burgher". This may not mean anything remarkable to you at first, but listen to how David Day explains it: Bilbo Baggins was a burgher who became a burglar. Burgher was a freeman of a burgh or borough (or in the case of Hobbits, a burrow), which certainly applied to Bilbo Baggins. Even more, its derivative Bourgeois described a person with humdrum middle-class ideas. Starts to all make sense, doesn't it?
This is just a taste of what this little book includes, and the most simple and straightforward example at that. As a long time Tolkien reader, David Day's The Hobbit Companion was so interesting to read, but I wouldn't consider it compulsory for casual readers, but to each their own. All the same, it is a valued addition to my ever-growing Tolkien collection.
Also, a note: there is a rather... candid drawing of a hobbit on the first page with all body parts proudly on show. I have since covered a certain area with a sticky note saying "NO peepees" clearly showing the mature adult I am.
Rating: 4 stars
So picture me, in the SFF isle of my local used book store, en route for my regular ransacking of the Tolkien collection, and I see this book. I pick it up because I think it will be an easy little companion/side book for when I next read The Hobbit. I was wrong. This was so unexpectedly complex, and so much longer than it seemed! I did some quick calculations, and this book can get up to almost 800 words per page. 800. A normal book would have only 500!! So yeah, this thing doesn't even breach 100 pages, but no wonder it felt like more.
But this little book is all about the philological puns (translation: language-y historical plays on words) Tolkien incorporated into his works. I'll give you an example. It has always stood out to me that Tolkien very specifically decided to name Bilbo the burglar for Thorin and co. and I have always wondered why. Why not a thief? While they both work, the definition for thief (a person who steals another person's property, especially by stealth and without using force or threat of violence) seems to fit Bilbo much more comfortably than that of burglary (illegal entry of a building with intent to commit a crime, especially theft), so why did Tolkien specifically choose the latter? Well, a homonym of "burglar" is (no, not "burger"; go eat lunch) "burgher". This may not mean anything remarkable to you at first, but listen to how David Day explains it: Bilbo Baggins was a burgher who became a burglar. Burgher was a freeman of a burgh or borough (or in the case of Hobbits, a burrow), which certainly applied to Bilbo Baggins. Even more, its derivative Bourgeois described a person with humdrum middle-class ideas. Starts to all make sense, doesn't it?
This is just a taste of what this little book includes, and the most simple and straightforward example at that. As a long time Tolkien reader, David Day's The Hobbit Companion was so interesting to read, but I wouldn't consider it compulsory for casual readers, but to each their own. All the same, it is a valued addition to my ever-growing Tolkien collection.
Also, a note: there is a rather... candid drawing of a hobbit on the first page with all body parts proudly on show. I have since covered a certain area with a sticky note saying "NO peepees" clearly showing the mature adult I am.
January 29, 2018
encantador libro de ilustraciones preciosas, con una divertida serie de teorías filológicas acerca del origen de los hobbits en la mente del maestro. Ese libro y yo tenemos historia, lo leí un par de años después de leer el Hobbit en la biblioteca pública de San Bernardo, que tenía fantásticos libros en esa época. Amo la ilustración de Golum en su botecito, al igual que la de Smaug, que son des-demonizados (hasta lucen tiernos)
December 6, 2012
When I first heard about David Day’s The Hobbit Companion, I was expecting just that – a companion volume to either Tolkien’s story or Peter Jackson’s film adaptations. However, when I opened my copy –a beautiful hardcover edition featuring some unique, eye-catching artwork by Dutch artist Lidia Postma – I was pleasantly surprised: instead of simply following the storyline of Tolkien’s book or Peter Jackson’s films, Day’s book focuses on the “verbal hocus-pocus” Tolkien used in both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
In essence, it is all about language and how Tolkien utilised it to create a story revolving around the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins. Day presents us with the “chicken and egg” riddle in his chapter on Bilbo: does a name describe its owner, or does the owner inspire the name? This becomes something of a recurring theme within the book, although as we progress, Day’s focus goes from the Hobbits to the other characters within the story, showing us how language helped create their roles.
Regardless of whether or not you have any interest in language or linguistics, this is definitely a book worth reading. It is a remarkable attempt to see into the mind of the man who “discovered” Middle-earth and its inhabitants. In reading it, we gain some insight as to how the mythologies of other cultures inspired Tolkien, although it is sometimes unclear whether a given explanation has actually been made by Tolkien, or if it is just conjecture on Day’s part.
While Day’s enthusiasm is rampant throughout, it still feels a bit impersonal when reading. One thing I would have liked to have seen is a preface by the author, or even a paragraph “About the Author” at the end of the book. Day has written many books on Tolkien, but aside from citing one of them in his Bibliography, there’s no mention of any of them.
Minor quibbles aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Despite not being a step-by-step guide to The Hobbit, The Hobbit Companion will nonetheless provide you with a greater appreciation for the time and care Tolkien put into his stories. I look forward to reading whatever Day comes out with next.
In essence, it is all about language and how Tolkien utilised it to create a story revolving around the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins. Day presents us with the “chicken and egg” riddle in his chapter on Bilbo: does a name describe its owner, or does the owner inspire the name? This becomes something of a recurring theme within the book, although as we progress, Day’s focus goes from the Hobbits to the other characters within the story, showing us how language helped create their roles.
Regardless of whether or not you have any interest in language or linguistics, this is definitely a book worth reading. It is a remarkable attempt to see into the mind of the man who “discovered” Middle-earth and its inhabitants. In reading it, we gain some insight as to how the mythologies of other cultures inspired Tolkien, although it is sometimes unclear whether a given explanation has actually been made by Tolkien, or if it is just conjecture on Day’s part.
While Day’s enthusiasm is rampant throughout, it still feels a bit impersonal when reading. One thing I would have liked to have seen is a preface by the author, or even a paragraph “About the Author” at the end of the book. Day has written many books on Tolkien, but aside from citing one of them in his Bibliography, there’s no mention of any of them.
Minor quibbles aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Despite not being a step-by-step guide to The Hobbit, The Hobbit Companion will nonetheless provide you with a greater appreciation for the time and care Tolkien put into his stories. I look forward to reading whatever Day comes out with next.
May 10, 2015
“La verdad es que las palabras, como los anillos mágicos, tienen cierta voluntad o finalidad en sí mismas que las dirige a través de la historia”
La palabra hobbit fue inventada por Tolkien, quien como buen filólogo se dedico a “investigarla” y a partir de ahí caracterizo o subcreo a los hobbits y su mundo.
Este libro está dedicado a explorar los acertijos y juegos de palabras que como apasionado de estas, inspiraron a Tolkien. Merecen una mención aparte las ilustraciones y otros elementos gráficos autoexplicativos que aportan personalidad y vivacidad al libro.
Puede resultar intrincado, hasta confuso para el lector que no esté familiarizado con El hobbit o El señor de los anillos pero sin duda invita a la lectura de los mismos. Para aquellos que ya los hayan leído es una delicia que desentraña la intrincada relación entre palabras de orígenes multilingües y el destino de los personajes. Además de reivindicar la brillante faceta de filólogo a la que el profesor de Oxford dedico la mayor parte de su vida.
Para leer más sobre éste y otros libros pincha el siguiente link:
https://elblogdekinturray.wordpress.c...
La palabra hobbit fue inventada por Tolkien, quien como buen filólogo se dedico a “investigarla” y a partir de ahí caracterizo o subcreo a los hobbits y su mundo.
Este libro está dedicado a explorar los acertijos y juegos de palabras que como apasionado de estas, inspiraron a Tolkien. Merecen una mención aparte las ilustraciones y otros elementos gráficos autoexplicativos que aportan personalidad y vivacidad al libro.
Puede resultar intrincado, hasta confuso para el lector que no esté familiarizado con El hobbit o El señor de los anillos pero sin duda invita a la lectura de los mismos. Para aquellos que ya los hayan leído es una delicia que desentraña la intrincada relación entre palabras de orígenes multilingües y el destino de los personajes. Además de reivindicar la brillante faceta de filólogo a la que el profesor de Oxford dedico la mayor parte de su vida.
Para leer más sobre éste y otros libros pincha el siguiente link:
https://elblogdekinturray.wordpress.c...
March 5, 2018
This is literally gorgeous. If you read and liked The Hobbit at all I think you'll like this, Because I Did its frking amazing the quality alone of the edition of the book is A+ and everything in this is so interesting and detailed and Tolkien is genuinely Something Else andyouwontknowunlessyoureadthis the illustrations are really cool as well and really add to the atmosphere (tone?:)) of the book so too do the frkin like windy word parts they're stunning and well placed and I liked them. just in general this is Fantastic and I'm glad I didn't go past this (soz maryam:)))))
August 24, 2015
This book is very special for me. I read it soon after finishing The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. And I guess one could say that these three books changed my life in a way I still can't believe myself.
Had my parents known I would decide to become an English philologist after reading this book, I wonder if they would have bought it anyway. I hope they would.
The book is interesting and easy to read. The illustrations are, of course, beautiful. As far as I remember, it was a very good introduction to the academic world I would join years later. Though now I wonder if it would be enough for me nowadays, I definitely recommend it, especially for young people and any Tolkien fan that would feel too overwhelmed when presented with a more technical book.
Had my parents known I would decide to become an English philologist after reading this book, I wonder if they would have bought it anyway. I hope they would.
The book is interesting and easy to read. The illustrations are, of course, beautiful. As far as I remember, it was a very good introduction to the academic world I would join years later. Though now I wonder if it would be enough for me nowadays, I definitely recommend it, especially for young people and any Tolkien fan that would feel too overwhelmed when presented with a more technical book.
November 2, 2017
As I've made it my mission this year to read as much Tolkien as possible, I thought David Day's companion piece would be a fun side venture. Day has clearly done his research, going into painstaking lengths to delve deep behind the names and words of Tolkien's characters, namely the Hobbits. This isn't the first time I've read this book, but it's the first time I have while working through The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The illustrations are especially whimsical and a nice touch. A must-have for any die hard Hobbit fans.
January 24, 2019
Was für herrlicher Nerd-Stuff aus der Zeit vor den Filmen. Das ist wichtig, denn es gibt somit kein dementsprechendes Bildmaterial. Es ist somit eher "tolkienlastig". Das Buch ist von 1996 und sehr liebevoll aufgemacht. Ich liebe z.B. die Ahnengalerie im hinterein Teil des Buches. Die Zeichnungen - mal nicht von Alan Lee - sind sehr schön.
January 23, 2010
My copy of this book is special, in a way. When my parents bought it for me, it wasn't until they were at the checkout that it was discovered that the cover is upside down and backwards, compared with the inside. So, when I read it normally, it looks like I'm reading it upside down. Go figure.
April 30, 2016
Philology is awesome.
April 10, 2021
The "Hobbit" Companion: A Review
If you do not know what a Hobbit is, you are a lucky person, as you have a whole world of discovery in your future. For those that do know, we will paraphrase the writings on the Doors of Durin to enter Moria - Speak, friend and enter.
The entrance to Moria - and do not confuse it with Mordor - had a play on words, and there are many plays on words as Tolkien explores and shares the world of Hobbits with us ‘Big People.’
"The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter. I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs."
In David Day’s ‘The "Hobbit" Companion’ the author takes us into a journey of linguistic discovery and into the punning mind of J.R.R. Tolkien.
David Day does a remarkable job of untangling the puns and riddles, hiding backgrounds and historical borrowings and in fleshing out the world that Tolkien discovered and shared.
The study of words and their etymology including words like:
Hobbit
Baggins
Gollum
Goblins
The Shire
Buckland
Brandy Hall
And of course Gandalf, to name but a few...
Yes, there are plenty of things from the marvellous world of Middle-Earth that the author does not directly touch upon. I share two of my favorites:
'I think a servant of the enemy would look fairer and feel fouler. ~ Frodo Baggins, explains to Strider early in their meetings.
I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. ~ Bilbo Baggins to his guests at his eleventy first birthday party
So what is in the Baggins name? The author explains: In the name Baggins we have a Baggins who was a borough-burrow-dwelling bourgeois burgher who, by hiring himself out as a professional burglar, baggage man, and bag man, became that most un-Hobbitish of creates: a Hero
Examples of the historical insight - and allows me to expand my reading list are:
Once there was a Goblin living in a hole, The Princess and the Goblin by George MacdDnald, that was published in 1872.
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit,” was the Tolkienesque response decades later.
And:
The episode with the Trolls is rather imitative of the Grimms’ tale The Brave Little Tailor, and other trickster tales from Icelandic mythology
So while the reading of this book was fun, entertaining and insightful, I wish to point out three, in my view, shortcomings:
It is not a very long book;
86: In the Ring Quest, Merry and Pippin provoked the Ents to attack Sauron the evil Wizard of Isengard.
This is clearly an error as the author meant Saruman. It leads me to wonder if there are other errors?
The Companion has given me a hankering to reread The Hobbit again - who would like to guess where that will lead?
Finally we would like to quote the author and his thoughts on Tolkien (90):...Tolkien was an unrepentant multilingual serial punner. It is conceivable that, in some other dimension, Professor Tolkien may now be sitting back and blowing his smoke rings as he chuckles at the thought of inflicting one more totally obscure philological joke on the unsuspecting and unknowing world.
Enjoy!
Lino Matteo ©™
Twitter @Lino_Matteo
https://linomatteo.wordpress.com/2021...
If you do not know what a Hobbit is, you are a lucky person, as you have a whole world of discovery in your future. For those that do know, we will paraphrase the writings on the Doors of Durin to enter Moria - Speak, friend and enter.
The entrance to Moria - and do not confuse it with Mordor - had a play on words, and there are many plays on words as Tolkien explores and shares the world of Hobbits with us ‘Big People.’
"The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter. I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs."
In David Day’s ‘The "Hobbit" Companion’ the author takes us into a journey of linguistic discovery and into the punning mind of J.R.R. Tolkien.
David Day does a remarkable job of untangling the puns and riddles, hiding backgrounds and historical borrowings and in fleshing out the world that Tolkien discovered and shared.
The study of words and their etymology including words like:
Hobbit
Baggins
Gollum
Goblins
The Shire
Buckland
Brandy Hall
And of course Gandalf, to name but a few...
Yes, there are plenty of things from the marvellous world of Middle-Earth that the author does not directly touch upon. I share two of my favorites:
'I think a servant of the enemy would look fairer and feel fouler. ~ Frodo Baggins, explains to Strider early in their meetings.
I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. ~ Bilbo Baggins to his guests at his eleventy first birthday party
So what is in the Baggins name? The author explains: In the name Baggins we have a Baggins who was a borough-burrow-dwelling bourgeois burgher who, by hiring himself out as a professional burglar, baggage man, and bag man, became that most un-Hobbitish of creates: a Hero
Examples of the historical insight - and allows me to expand my reading list are:
Once there was a Goblin living in a hole, The Princess and the Goblin by George MacdDnald, that was published in 1872.
“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit,” was the Tolkienesque response decades later.
And:
The episode with the Trolls is rather imitative of the Grimms’ tale The Brave Little Tailor, and other trickster tales from Icelandic mythology
So while the reading of this book was fun, entertaining and insightful, I wish to point out three, in my view, shortcomings:
It is not a very long book;
86: In the Ring Quest, Merry and Pippin provoked the Ents to attack Sauron the evil Wizard of Isengard.
This is clearly an error as the author meant Saruman. It leads me to wonder if there are other errors?
The Companion has given me a hankering to reread The Hobbit again - who would like to guess where that will lead?
Finally we would like to quote the author and his thoughts on Tolkien (90):...Tolkien was an unrepentant multilingual serial punner. It is conceivable that, in some other dimension, Professor Tolkien may now be sitting back and blowing his smoke rings as he chuckles at the thought of inflicting one more totally obscure philological joke on the unsuspecting and unknowing world.
Enjoy!
Lino Matteo ©™
Twitter @Lino_Matteo
https://linomatteo.wordpress.com/2021...
October 22, 2025
An interesting study of the intentional Middle English language Tolkien used to give meaning to the names of his characters and races. Honestly it’s hard to explain and seems like a stretch in certain cases, but the point is well argued
For example, he picks apart the name of Bilbo Baggins like this:
(Bilbo) Baggins the Bourgeois—>Burgher—>Burglar—>Baggge Man—>Bag Man—>Baggins
He goes on to show common meanings of “Bourgeois” and “Burgher” and so on through Middle English antiquity. This is intended to show some meaning behind the names of Hobbits and other Tolkien characters.
Like I said, it seems a bit far fetched, and potentially at times to be grasping at straws. That being said, I’m definitely no expert in language, and also would never deny the intentionality of Tolkien himself.
For example, he picks apart the name of Bilbo Baggins like this:
(Bilbo) Baggins the Bourgeois—>Burgher—>Burglar—>Baggge Man—>Bag Man—>Baggins
He goes on to show common meanings of “Bourgeois” and “Burgher” and so on through Middle English antiquity. This is intended to show some meaning behind the names of Hobbits and other Tolkien characters.
Like I said, it seems a bit far fetched, and potentially at times to be grasping at straws. That being said, I’m definitely no expert in language, and also would never deny the intentionality of Tolkien himself.
December 29, 2015
A must for all J R R Tolkien readers.
I think it best to quote from the publisher:
Illustrated in full colour (illustrations by Lidia Postma), including a number of double page prints, this is an intriguing and interesting investigation into the world of words used by Tolkien in The Hobbit. It explores the clever web of wordplay Professor Tolkien used to create hidden meanings and delves into the mythical associations that lie beneath the tale's thrilling surface.
Starting with the word "hobbit" itself, the book moves on to examine Bilbo Baggins, hobbit heritage and history, Gandalf, Shire Society, and much more.
There is also a chapter on the hobbit characters from The Lord of the Rings, including Frodo, Sam, Pippin and Merry. Lidia Postma’s painting of the Party Field from The Fellowship of the Rin is a treasure – it pictures and names 60 of the guests from Adelard Took to Willibald Bolger.
I think it best to quote from the publisher:
Illustrated in full colour (illustrations by Lidia Postma), including a number of double page prints, this is an intriguing and interesting investigation into the world of words used by Tolkien in The Hobbit. It explores the clever web of wordplay Professor Tolkien used to create hidden meanings and delves into the mythical associations that lie beneath the tale's thrilling surface.
Starting with the word "hobbit" itself, the book moves on to examine Bilbo Baggins, hobbit heritage and history, Gandalf, Shire Society, and much more.
There is also a chapter on the hobbit characters from The Lord of the Rings, including Frodo, Sam, Pippin and Merry. Lidia Postma’s painting of the Party Field from The Fellowship of the Rin is a treasure – it pictures and names 60 of the guests from Adelard Took to Willibald Bolger.
December 19, 2008
One could certainly accuse David Day and Christopher Tolkien of making a living out of J.R.R. Tolkien's work, but at least they constatly put out interesting additions to the Middle-Earth legacy. And this book is a particularly entertaining and illuminating compendium of the linguistic undercurrents that provide a delightful background to the adventures of hobbits and other races of Middle-Earth. Additionally, it's beautifully illustrated and it doesn't recourse to the more known Tolkien illustrators (I love Alan Lee's work, but one does get a little tired of seeing his work or John Howe's in almost everything Tolkien-related).
January 22, 2013
Very interesting analysis of the linguistics that drove J.R.R. Tolkien's characterizations and even plotting of The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings.
August 24, 2015
This is an accessible and illuminating exploration of the various ways Tolkien uses multiple punning as the basis of character names and actions. While this could have been a conventional academic study, it is instead a lavishly illustrated, pleasant read, aimed at the general reader but full of fascinating information.
January 13, 2015
El libro es una delicia. Las ilustraciones son hermosas y el estilo del libro es sencillo de seguir, te atrapa con los datos y la información, llevándote por el mundo de los hobbits.
Muy interesante todo lo que se indica y de verdad, para los fanáticos de Tolkien, este libro entrega mucha información etimológica muy interesante acerca de ese mundo lingüístico detrás de los regordetes Hobbits.
Muy interesante todo lo que se indica y de verdad, para los fanáticos de Tolkien, este libro entrega mucha información etimológica muy interesante acerca de ese mundo lingüístico detrás de los regordetes Hobbits.
June 10, 2015
En ciertos pasajes lo leí sólo por encima, pero es una opción muy interesante para profundizar el conocimiento del mundo de Tolkien. Centrado en la lingüística y el orígen de los nombres de varios personajes de El Hobbit y ESDLA
Want to read
June 27, 2011Se ve que le había pifiado poniéndolo como leído. Ahora lo pongo en "To read" como corresponde, a la espera de que algún día lo consiga y lo lea.
November 7, 2014
It's great companion since it makes you suddenly realize things you didn't notice before, and I read it like in two hours :D
September 22, 2015
Very interesting to read if you want to 'know' more about Hobbits and the genius J.R.R. Tolkien himself.
January 18, 2016
If you didnt know that JRR Tolkien was a genius, you do now. The man literally had a way with words.
September 25, 2020
No solo es una edición muy linda: excelente papel, imágenes a color, empaste duro, etc. Todo lo que uno podría pedir de un buen libro físico. sino que también aporta mucha información que los fanáticos del universo de Tolkien apreciamos.
Este libro trata solo de hobbits, de cómo fue concebida su naturaleza, hazañas y nombres, así como también de los personajes que tuvieron estrecha relación con ellos.
Mediante este trabajo realizado por David Day, se nos da a entender la magia de las palabras y cómo las usó Tolkien para dar vida a las maravillosas historias que creó.
Ojo, Hay que leer primero El Hobbit y El Señor de los anillos antes de leer los trabajos de David Day, en particular este, de esa forma se evitan los spoilers.
Este libro trata solo de hobbits, de cómo fue concebida su naturaleza, hazañas y nombres, así como también de los personajes que tuvieron estrecha relación con ellos.
Mediante este trabajo realizado por David Day, se nos da a entender la magia de las palabras y cómo las usó Tolkien para dar vida a las maravillosas historias que creó.
Ojo, Hay que leer primero El Hobbit y El Señor de los anillos antes de leer los trabajos de David Day, en particular este, de esa forma se evitan los spoilers.
May 22, 2021
This is an attractive coffee table book that I picked up at an estate sale. Fans of “The Hobbit” will appreciate the research by the author to determine the meaning behind many of the names in the book, and what they foretell about the plot. Tolkien, the professor of languages, created his names intentionally from ancient roots, and subsequently those names helped determine the action. Author David Day provides the likely sources for the names Bilbo, Baggins, Frodo, Gandalf, Smaug, and others.
The book is handsomely illustrated throughout by Lidia Postma, with full page and double page illustrations, and even one fold-out showing the entire riding group of dwarves, hobbit and wizard.
The book is handsomely illustrated throughout by Lidia Postma, with full page and double page illustrations, and even one fold-out showing the entire riding group of dwarves, hobbit and wizard.
December 19, 2020
This short, colorful volume contains useful etymological musings for names and characters in The Hobbit and Tolkien's Trilogy. There are lovely paintings of individuals included in David Day's Hobbit Companion, with in addition a wonderful painting of the structural layout and contents of Bag End, Bilbo's home. Enough of the contents of the stories from both The Hobbit and The Trilogy are summarized to refresh the memory in case one hasn't read the books in awhile. Geared to adults, not a good fit for a youngster under 10 or 12, just being introduced to The Hobbit for the first time.
October 1, 2022
A fairly short book (100 pages) but a very good discussion of the way JRRT put together the names for the hobbits and some of the other characters in LoTR. This is a linguistic investigation into word origins used by Tolkien to write what he did and furthers the understanding of the effort he put it the incredible work he did. Wonderfully illustrated by Lidia Postma, very well written and a valuable addition to any one interested in Tolkien. Excellent.
July 29, 2020
I gather that the Tolkien people have mixed feelings about the author but this is the only one of his that I have read. I enjoyed it, enjoyed the history of language or at least the version that Day has created.
I very much enjoyed Lidia Postma's illustrations, very appropriate to the sources and neither derivative nor clashing with already held mental images.
I very much enjoyed Lidia Postma's illustrations, very appropriate to the sources and neither derivative nor clashing with already held mental images.
October 21, 2020
This is a fun and fantastic source of easy to access information on The Hobbit and a bit of the history and thought process of Tolkien’s mind. This is a great go-to book to read before slowly lowering yourself into those heavy readers guides and the other Tolkien history tomes you could lift over your head and kill a small bear with. Don't kill bears. Drink responsibly.
March 24, 2023
Who is worse, David Day for writing such stupid and inaccurate books, or me for still reading them? (Rhetorical question, but the answer is: David Day is still worse, because I only ever buy his books used, so no royalties.)
September 23, 2022
Reseña completa en el blog: Lengua Sucinta
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