The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Source: Goodreads

A book for teens and young adults. If I read this book when I'm still a teen or young adult, I might have some problem understanding with the wide array of vocabularies that were used.

Some of the parts that I love most of the book is the first chapter where Gandalf gave a long reply to Bilbo's Good Morning. I never looked at "Good Morning" this way since it has long been embedded in my head that it is just courteous way of wishing someone in the morning.

Then the book moves on to "The unexpected Party" before the journey begins! How the dwarves came to his Bag End house, how they emptied his pantry and how fast and fun way to do cleaning till finally their final planning before heading out on the dangerous quest.

Another memorable part is the riddles between Bilbo and Gollum. Bilbo found Gollum in the Goblin cave and there while upon trying to find his way out, he played riddles with Gollum and found the magical ring. For one who has not a bright mind or much wit, I find the riddles difficult and amusing. I never thought of describing those things that way and if I have been Bilbo, I would have became Gollum's flavourful meal.

In the movie they showed the council meeting that Gandalf attended and the magical "verbal fight" between Galadriel and the Necromancer. I was hoping to read it in the book but of course it was only mentioned in a paragraph in the book.

Whatever I saw on screen is only a mention in the book. If you are expecting it to be the same, well don't get your hopes high.

Tolkien is a great writer. He described Hobbiton, Middle Earth, Mirkwood, The Lonely Mountain, home of Elrond beautifullt. If you have watched the movie, you would have journeyed through Middle Earth visually with the help of Peter Jackson and his team.

Now, open your mind and allow Tolkien to bring you on an amazing imaginative adventure.

Just note that some parts might feel a little draggy as there won't be much action. Nevertheless, it is an unexpected journey with lots of unexpected surprises by the little hobbit. (If you have watched the movie then it won't be that unexpected.)

What is in your library?

Haruki Murakami's novella, The Strange Library (Taiwan version) is a pretty little hardcover, only 70 pages thick with Sheep Man and tiny gold specks on the front cover. So pretty, I cannot resist but grab a copy from the bookstore!

The short story was first published in the short story collection On Seeing The 100% Perfect Girl On One Beautiful April Morning back in the early 90s.

The Taiwanese Chinese version that I have is translated by 賴明珠 and includes illustrations by Kat Menschik from the German version. The illustrations are mainly grayscale with muted colours, very dark but elegant as well.

The story goes, as usual, very Murakami-esque:

A boy went to his local library intend to read up about tax collection during Ottoman empire. Unlike his usual trips, he was directed to a dark, creepy room underground by the librarian. There a strange, bald man led him through a maze of sorts, and then a small man covered with sheep skin locked him in a cell.

In the cell the boy is required to finish the 3 books the bald man has gave him, and which the bald man said will release after a month if he has finished the books. The truth was, however, that he might not end up alive.

That aside, the boy was fed extremely well by Sheep Man (great doughnuts) and met with a beautiful girl whose existence did not seem to be certain. In a peculiar way he found himself to be able to absorb the knowledge from the books much easier, and even able to experience the story itself. He also worried about his mother and his pet.

I always love the fantasy elements in Murakami's works, as if those alternate worlds do exist right here on Earth; and somebody we don't know is travelling through it. I am slightly disappointed that this is not quite a children's book (not an appropriate expectation); nevertheless I still adore the story and the accompanying illustrations a lot. My future trips to libraries will never be the same anymore.

p/s I wish I had browsed the English translations to get Ted Goossen's version instead :O