Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


“A safe fairyland is untrue to all worlds.”

The Hobbit, or There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien

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It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.   By now, I think practically everyone has either read the book or seen the movies, hopefully both. (Full disclosure: I will judge heavily anyone who has only seen the movies; why would you do that to yourself?) The book, as is frequently the case, is loads better. No unnecessary romantic subplots, no characters who are dead making appearances, no characters showing up far too many years […]

Classic of Classics: The Hobbit

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

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Mr. Lux and I both have clear, fond memories of our introduction to this book: discovering an old copy sitting on a picnic table in a Texas playground, and starting to read with no idea what was about to happen (him) and of nightly out-loud reading after everyone was showered and in bed (me.) We have had this lovely illustrated version for several years, waiting for our eldest, now 9 years old, to pick it up and discover it. We got impatient, so I told […]

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

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Updated review 04/28/2025: I needed this book to count for a reading challenge so I happily re-read it. I also, because I am, bought the graphic novel of the Hobbit this weekend during Independent Bookstore Day and of course, promptly read that. Honestly, I loved this book when I read it in school, and enjoyed my re-read of it, ten years ago. I also laughed at  lot more while re-reading. I totally blanked on how Gandalf messed with Bilbo and then he was awash in […]

“This is the story of how a Baggins had an adventure.” CBRBINGO – Rings

The Hobbit: Or, There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien

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As I’ve written about The Hobbit before, and because other people definitely have as well, and much better than I have, this review will be mostly about the new audiobook productions of Tolkien’s works, which are narrated by Andy Serkis, of Gollum fame. So far I have only listened to this lovely production of The Hobbit, but I have the full trilogy and The Silmarillion also ready to go for whenever I am feeling like a re-read. And chances are, now that I know how […]

Still not caught up on my reviews, but I’m working on it.

Streets of Laredo by Larry McMurtry

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

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I’m doing terribly at keeping up with my reviews this year, so I’m going to do a review dump. Streets of Laredo by Larry McMurtry (4.5/5) (Spoilers abound.) Lonesome Dove was a revelatory experience for me. It was that rare experience that I knew to appreciate while I was reading it. Rather than devouring the book and then mourning it’s end, I was able to savor the novel and drag it out a little bit. I was still a little skeptical about reading the follow-up, […]

Middle Earth or New Zealand for this BINGO square; it’s a toss up. #CBRBingo – I Wish

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

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“You are a very fine person, Mr. Baggins, and I am very fond of you; but you are only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all!” I have always wanted to go to Middle Earth. Well, I say always, but I actually came to The Hobbit a little late (and The Lord of the Rings later than that). It was required reading for freshman year English class in my high school. I was absolutely enchanted by it, especially the “Riddles in the […]



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