[Holbytlass]

I read The Hobbit right before FOTR came out, at 28 yrs old. The movies are what brought me to it. I fell in love with it.

I related to Bilbo right away with his simplistic lifestyle and love of food and visitors. I love his home-very earthy yet all the modern conveniences of the day (ex tiled floors, pannelled walls, and no smoke).

Bilbo is obviously rich, he doesn't have a job yet is asked to lend money, an inheritance from his parents especially his mother who also probably had inheritance from her own parents but I like to think that some of it came from Belladonna's own adventures- "Not that Belladonna Took ever had any adventures after she became Mrs. Bungo Baggins. (emphasis mine)

Gandalf, like the elves, seems more light-hearted and incline to joke around more in TH than LOTR. Gandalf seems to be more amused with Bilbo than Pippin, who is more of a Took than Bilbo is.

Something interesting is how differently Gandalf deals with Bilbo in comparison to Beorn (later in the book) with the introductions to the dwarves. I suppose it can wait till ch7 to compare/contrast.

Overall, I think Tolkien did a superb job with the first chapter. Not so much that he is a great writer but that so many introductions and much information had to be given, it was cohesive and rather funny.

Does anyone know why there were so many dwarves?
Also, what are the braces that Bilbo sticks his fingers behind to blow smoke-rings?