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<p><b>A philosophical exploration of J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved classicjust in time for the December 2012 release of Peter Jackson's new film adaptation,<i>The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey</i></b></p><p>J.R.R. Tolkien's<i>The Hobbit</i> is one of the best-loved fantasy books of all time and the enchanting "prequel" to<i>The Lord of the Rings</i>. With the help of some of history's great philosophers, this book ponders a host of deep questions raised in this timeless tale, such as: Are adventures simply "nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things" that "make you late for dinner," or are they exciting and potentially life-changing events? What duties do friends have to one another? Should mercy be extended even to those who deserve to die?</p><ul><li>Gives you new insights into<i>The Hobbit</i>'s central characters, including Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, Gollum, and Thorin and their exploits, from the Shire through Mirkwood to the Lonely Mountain</li><li>Explores key questions about<i>The Hobbit</i>'s story and themes, including: Was the Arkenstone really Bilbo's to give? How should Smaug's treasure have been distributed? Did Thorin leave his "beautiful golden harp" at Bag-End when he headed out into the Wild? (If so, how much could we get for that on eBay?)</li><li>Draws on the insights of some of the world's deepest thinkers, from Confucius, Plato, and Aristotle to Immanuel Kant, William Blake, and contemporary American philosopher Thomas Nagel</li></ul><p>From the happy halls of Elrond's Last Homely House to Gollum's "slimy island of rock," this is a must read for longtime Tolkien fans as well as those discovering Bilbo Baggins and his adventures "there and back again" for the first time.</p>

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: Thag You Very Buch x

Introduction: Never Laugh at Live Philosophers 1
Gregory Bassham and Eric Bronson

PART ONE DISCOVER YOUR INNER TOOK

1 The Adventurous Hobbit 7
Gregory Bassham

2 “The Road Goes Ever On and On”: A Hobbit’s Tao 20
Michael C. Brannigan

3 Big Hairy Feet: A Hobbit’s Guide to Enlightenment 32
Eric Bronson

4 Bilbo Baggins: The Cosmopolitan Hobbit 45
Dennis Knepp

PART TWO THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE SLIMY

5 The Glory of Bilbo Baggins 61
Charles Taliaferro and Craig Lindahl-Urben

6 Pride and Humility in The Hobbit 74
Laura Garcia

7 “My Precious”: Tolkien on the Perils of Possessiveness 90
Anna Minore and Gregory Bassham

8 Tolkien’s Just War 103
David Kyle Johnson

9 “Pretty Fair Nonsense”: Art and Beauty in The Hobbit 118
Philip Tallon

10 Hobbitus Ludens: Why Hobbits Like to Play and Why We Should, Too 129
David L. O’Hara

PART THREE RIDDLES AND RINGS

11 “The Lord of Magic and Machines”: Tolkien on Magic and Technology 147
W. Christopher Stewart

12 Inside The Hobbit: Bilbo Baggins and the Paradox of Fiction 161
Amy Kind

13 Philosophy in the Dark: The Hobbit and Hermeneutics 176
Tom Grimwood

PART FOUR BEING THERE AND BACK AGAIN

14 Some Hobbits Have All the Luck 193
Randall M. Jensen

15 The Consolation of Bilbo: Providence and Free Will in Middle-Earth 206
Grant Sterling

16 Out of the Frying Pan: Courage and Decision Making in Wilderland 218
Jamie Carlin Watson

17 There and Back Again: A Song of Innocence and Experience 235
Joe Kraus

CONTRIBUTORS: Our Most Excellent and Audacious Contributors 251

INDEX: The Moon Letters 257