Sunday, December 06, 2009

Bilbo's Last Song | J.R.R. Tolkien

From the dust jacket:
"Bilbo Baggins, famous Hobbit adventurer and savior of the One ring, arrives at the Grey Havens to board the White Ship on its journey west.  It is here that he composes his last song, reflecting on the leaving Middle-earth and the voyage that will take him to the Undying Lands at the end of the sunset.  Poignant and lyrical, the song is both a longing to set forth on his ultimate journey and a tender farewell to friends left behind."

This is essentially a children's book, which contains a poem and paintings detailing Bilbo's last journey, in addition to scenes from "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.  The paintings are constructed by Pauline Baynes, who was Tolkien's favourite illustrator.  She also illustrated Tolkien's "Farmer Giles of Ham", "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil", "Smith of Wotton Major" and "Tree and Leaf."  In addition, she also illustrated C.S. Lewis' "Narnia" books.  I enjoyed the illustrations, but was not blown away... as with the work of another famous Tolkien illustrator, Alan Lee.

The book is really meant for Tolkien enthusiasts and without the Tolkien name and paintings [accurate to Tolkien's stories], it would be truly forgettable.  With these additions and descriptions at the end of the book pertaining to the paintings, this is a nice little journey to take your mind back to the adventures of Bilbo.

Note: There are many versions of this book, and even the version shown in this post has both large and small formats.  If you are purchasing the book online, make sure you check the dimensions.

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