{"product_id":"9781118233894","title":"The Hobbit and Philosophy: For When You've Lost Your Dwarves, Your Wizard, and Your Way","description":"\u003cb\u003eA philosophical exploration of J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved classic—just in time for the December 2012 release of Peter Jackson's new film adaptation, \u003ci\u003eThe Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003eJ.R.R. Tolkien's \u003ci\u003eThe Hobbit\u003c\/i\u003e is one of the best-loved fantasy books of all time and the enchanting \"prequel\" to \u003ci\u003eThe Lord of the Rings\u003c\/i\u003e. 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?\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eGives you new insights into \u003ci\u003eThe Hobbit\u003c\/i\u003e's central characters, including Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, Gollum, and Thorin and their exploits, from the Shire through Mirkwood to the Lonely Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eExplores key questions about \u003ci\u003eThe Hobbit\u003c\/i\u003e'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?)\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eDraws 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\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrom 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.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wiley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47078146408688,"sku":"9781118233894","price":16.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781118233894_p0.jpg?v=1763693108","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781118233894","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}