A re-read of a book read many years ago, which I still found enjoyable and charming and an easy page turning read. I made allowances for the fact that it is told in a style that is not 'fashionable' now - omniscient narrator, complete with occasional direct addresses to the reader - because that was perfectly acceptable for a children's book in 1937 when it was originally published. Having the knowledge of Lord of the Rings (LOTR) in the back of my mind, I found scenes such as the finding of the ring and Bilbo's riddle game with Gollum especially interesting, because the full weight of these events do not become apparent until their development in the LOTR trilogy. 
 Notes on the Differences Between the Original Story and the Films 
 I did wonder, when I heard that three films were to be made based on The Hobbit, how the story told in this slim volume could possibly be dragged out to that extent. I now have the answer, having recently watched the first two films so this re-read is a salutary lesson in how many liberties were taken. Firstly, the dwarves and Bilbo don't leave Bilbo's house till about 50 minutes after the first film starts. Secondly, there is a huge amount of completely invented material - the appearances by Galadriel and Legolas for example, and all the scenes of orcs tracking and attacking Bilbo and his companions. Several scenes that do appear in the book are changed greatly, for example, the escape from the wood elf kingdom. In the original, all but Bilbo are sealed into the barrels by him and most emphatically do not race down a river, fighting off an orc attack and throwing swords between the barrels! The dwarves are mainly comic characters and are not constantly engaged in battle scenes although there is a bit of fighting here and there. Quite often, they are captured by enemies and have to be rescued by Bilbo. 
 To summarise, a huge number of battle scenes and other material have been added to the films to foreshadow LOTR. I mention this in case anyone not familiar with the book decides to try it after enjoying the films, and expects something similar to LOTR. The story was meant to entertain children in the 1930s, and if allowance is made for that, it is still an engaging read for modern day adults also.