Lessons on joy, friendship, dedication, sacrifice, and more will appeal to Hobbit fans, parents, teachers, librarians, graduates—and anyone looking for a creative way to explore timeless life lessons and important values of faith. Millions of fans worldwide have been attracted to The Hobbit for its unique combination of high adventure and profound truths. Tapping the excitement around the highly-anticipated Hobbit movie trilogy, Tolkien-scholar, Devin Brown, now presents a fast-paced and easy-to-follow presentation of timeless spiritual messages to help navigate your journey. Peppered with illustrations throughout, Hobbit Lessons offers troll-sized portions of relevance and regular nuggets of good Hobbit sense. The result is a collection of tangible bites of wisdom that are not only deeply moving but also great fun.
Anyone who has read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings can gather that their author hated tyranny, but few know that the novelist who once described himself as a hobbit Òin all but sizeÓ wasÑeven by hobbit standardsÑa zealous proponent of economic freedom and small government. There is a growing concern among many that the West is sliding into political, economic, and moral bankruptcy. In his beloved novels of Middle-Earth, J.R.R. Tolkien has drawn us a map to freedom. Scholar Joseph Pearce, who himself has written articles and chapters on the political significance of TolkienÕs work, testified in his book Literary Giants, Literary Catholics, ÒIf much has been written on the religious significance of The Lord of the Rings, less has been written on its political significanceÑand the little that has been written is often erroneous in its conclusions and ignorant of TolkienÕs intentionsÉ. Much more work is needed in this area, not least because Tolkien stated, implicitly at least, that the political significance of the work was second only to the religious in its importance.Ó Several books ably explore how TolkienÕs Catholic faith informed his fiction. None until now have centered on how his passion for liberty and limited government also shaped his work, or how this passion grew directly from his theological vision of man and creation. The Hobbit Party fills this void. The few existing pieces that do focus on the subject are mostly written by scholars with little or no formal training in literary analysis, and even less training in political economy. Witt and Richards bring to The Hobbit Party a combined expertise in literary studies, political theory, economics, philosophy, and theology.
Enjoy this free preview of Hobbit Lessons: A Map for Life's Unexpected Journeys, by Devin Brown. The book releases nationwide October 2013 but you can preview it now for free! Millions of fans worldwide have been attracted to the Hobbit for its unique combination of high adventure and profound truths. Tapping the excitement around the highly-anticipated second installment of the Hobbit movie trilogy (in theatres December 2013), Tolkien-scholar, Devin Brown, now presents a fast-paced and easy-to-follow presentation of timeless spiritual messages to help navigate your spiritual journey. Peppered with illustrations throughout, Hobbit Lessons offers troll-sized portions of relevance and regular nuggets of good Hobbit sense. The result is a collection of tangible bites of wisdom that are not only deeply moving but also great fun. These lessons on joy, friendship, dedication, sacrifice, and more will appeal to Hobbit fans, parents, teachers, librarians, youth pastors, graduates—and anyone looking for a creative way to explore timeless life lessons and important values of faith. Chapter titles include: When Adventure Comes Knocking, Let It In (Despite the Fact It May Make You Late for Dinner) Live Courageously (Even if—Especially if—Part of You Says Not To) Be Fond of Waistcoats, Second Breakfasts, Pocket Handkerchiefs, and Four O’Clock Tea (But Don’t Let Them Become Too Precious) Have your Friends’ Backs (Someone Has Yours) Beware—Not All That Glitters Is Gold (And Even Gold Is Not the Treasure You Think) Remember—Not All That Is Gold Glitters (In Fact, Life’s Real Treasures Are Quite Ordinary Looking) Recognize You Are Only a Little Fellow in a Wide World (But Still an Important Part of a Larger Story) Find the Enchantment All Around You (Even if You Are Not a Wizard)
In The Wisdom of the Shire, Noble Smith sheds a light on the life-changing ideas tucked away inside the classic works of J. R. R. Tolkien and his most beloved creation—the stouthearted Hobbits. How can simple pleasures such as gardening, taking long walks, and eating delicious meals with friends make you significantly happier? Why is the act of giving presents on your birthday instead of getting them such a revolutionary idea? What should you do when dealing with the Gollum in your life? And how can we carry the burden of our own "magic ring of power" without becoming devoured by it? The Wisdom of the Shire holds the answers to these and more of life's essential questions.
Much like a dragon-guarded mountain filled with stolen dwarf gold, Pop Culture is far more than just a side quest or afternoon’s entertainment: it contains a veritable treasure trove overflowing with life lessons. If there’s one takeaway from more than 40 years of Scooby-Doo mysteries, it’s that the vast majority of life’s villains are old white men using literal scare tactics to hold on to whatever privilege they have; Stranger Things taught us that any group of bike-riding kids are either running from or toward a vast governmental conspiracy; The Wizard of Oz proved that fashion can only take you so far; The Lord of the Rings showed us not only about the power of statement jewelry but that gifts come with strings attached; and Jaws was evidence that no matter how prepared you think you are, you should always expect the unexpected. This modern-day fable takes the best elements of My Dinner With Andre, The Big Bang Theory, and How to Make Friends and Influence People, to tell the story of three cosplaying friends sharing what they have learned from their favorite (and hated) movies, series, and games in a cafe after a day of walking the halls of a convention center. Live Like a Vulcan, Love Like a Wookiee, Laugh Like a Hobbit invites readers to a never-before-seen and slightly skewed look at the most memorable moments in films, shows, books, comic books, graphic novels, and video games. By the end of this pop-culture tour, fans of all ages will be given more inside knowledge than could ever be gotten at a comic convention, more self-help tools than can fit into any utility belt, more treasures than can be found in a cave of wonders, and more smiles than can be seen on any joker’s face.
If you enjoy J. R. R. Tolkien--even if you're new to his classic stories--you'll love A Hobbit Devotional featuring 60 humorous, challenging, and encouraging devotionals. Soon to be a major motion picture, The Hobbit has fascinated readers for more than 70 years. Now, this tale of humble folk who overcome fear, discouragement, and despair through steadfastness, courage, and hope forms the basis of a brand-new devotional book. Each reading sketches a scene from The Hobbit, relates it to a contemporary life situation you might experience yourself, and brings in the teaching of a relevant Bible story or verse.
