Mr Bliss

Mr Bliss
by J. R. R. Tolkien

Mr Bliss
Our Price: $25.20
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions


(Click here)

Book Summary Information

Author: J. R. R. Tolkien
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Format: Import
Published: 2007-10-15
ISBN: 0007255330
Number of pages: 112
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

Book Reviews of Mr Bliss

Book Review: Lovely for all ages
Summary: 5 Stars

I bought the book just over a year ago now, and finally got around to reading it yesterday. Well worth it. Although the book is somewhat expensive, at least as a children's book at $38 in Canadian dollars, when everything is considered, the price isn't as extravagant as it first seems. This edition is in a beautiful red slip-case, and the book itself has a stitched binding and is cloth-covered (I've been told that a stitched binding is the best type there is).

Not having ever seen the standard edition of Mr. Bliss, I can't say how the illustrations in this facsimile edition compare, but I've got to say that I like them. You can see each mark used in making the pictures, and I love the variations in tone from differing shades and pressures. According to the book Artist and Illustrator by Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull, the illustrations were done in pencil, ink and coloured pencil.

I noticed quite a few similarities to The Hobbit, of course, seeing as Tolkien was writing this one in the 1930's as well - things like calling the hill by the village 'The Hill' etc, and the attitudes of some of the other characters. Also names. Some of the names, I have to wonder if they were in-jokes of sorts. Harper-Collins calls this the definitive edition, and it is, however I'd love to see an edition edited by someone like Flieger to look at the parallels, society of the time, other fairy-tales and also some of the stories and myths about Mr. Bliss that have built up, such as the ones I remember hearing about somewhere that compare it to Tolkien's own driving.

Amusingly, I believe I found an error on the text page for page 44: the text says: "It was as very expensive time." However, as best as I can make out the handwriting, it says "It was a very expensive time." Perhaps someone with a different edition or who is better at picking out Tolkien's handwriting could double check?

Mr. Bliss seems to have been written for children slightly younger than The Hobbit is marketed to, but this edition is definitely geared towards adults. I call it full of charm, both in the story and the illustrations. Love it!

[...]

Literature & Fiction Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in Literature & Fiction Books
Little Women ImageLittle Women
by Louisa May Alcott
Scribner; Published: 1986-06-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.49
Price in other shops: $5.00
The Killing Ground ImageThe Killing Ground
by JACK HIGGINS
HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS LTD; Published: 2007; Hardcover; Book
Saving Fish from Drowning ImageSaving Fish from Drowning
by Amy Tan
4th Estate; Published: 2005; Paperback; Book
Life Expectancy ImageLife Expectancy
by Dean Koontz
Harpercollins Pb; Published: 2005-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.00
Constant Princess ImageConstant Princess
by Philippa Gregory
Touchstone/Simon & Schuster; Published: 2005; Hardcover; Book
Wolf of the Plains (Conqueror, Book 1) ImageWolf of the Plains (Conqueror, Book 1)
by Conn Iggulden
Harper; Published: 2007; Paperback; Book
Sahara ImageSahara
by Clive Cussler
Harper Collins Pb; Published: 2005-03-21; Paperback; Book
Perelandra (Cosmic Trilogy) ImagePerelandra (Cosmic Trilogy)
by C. S. Lewis
Voyager; Published: 2005-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.83
Price in other shops: $10.50
The Lord Of The Rings: Part 2 The Two Towers ImageThe Lord Of The Rings: Part 2 The Two Towers
by J. R. R. Tolkien
Harper Collins Publishers; Published: 2001; Paperback; Book
Red Mars ImageRed Mars
by Kim Stanley Robinson
Trafalgar Square; Published: 2001-06; Paperback; Book
Similar Books and other products
Tales from the Perilous Realm ImageTales from the Perilous Realm
by J.R.R. Tolkien
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Published: 2008-11-17; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $18.48
Price in other shops: $28.00
Letters From Father Christmas ImageLetters From Father Christmas
by J.R.R. Tolkien
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Published: 1995-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $39.42
J.R.R.Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator ImageJ.R.R.Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator
by Christina Scull
Harcolscifi&Fantasy; Published: 1995-10-31; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $32.25
Tree and Leaf ; Smith of Wootton Major ; The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth, Beorhthelm's Son ImageTree and Leaf ; Smith of Wootton Major ; The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth, Beorhthelm's Son
by J. R. R. Tolkien
Allen & Unwin; Published: 1975-10-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $466.81
Farmer Giles of Ham : The Rise and Wonderful Adventures of Farmer Giles, Lord of Tame, Count of Worminghall, and King of the Little Kingdom ImageFarmer Giles of Ham : The Rise and Wonderful Adventures of Farmer Giles, Lord of Tame, Count of Worminghall, and King of the Little Kingdom
by J. R. R. Tolkien, Christina Scull, Wayne G. Hammond
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Published: 1999-11-15; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $9.50
Price in other shops: $18.00
Monsters and the Critics ImageMonsters and the Critics
by J R R Tolkien, J.R.R. Tolkien
Grafton; Published: 1997-01-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.11
Roverandom ImageRoverandom
by J.R.R. Tolkien
Mariner Books; Published: 1999-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.82
Price in other shops: $12.95
Finn and Hengest ImageFinn and Hengest
by J R R Tolkien
Firebird Distributing; Published: 1998-03-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.67
Tree & Leaf ImageTree & Leaf
by J R R Tolkien
Tolkien; Published: 2001-02-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.53
Letters From Father Christmas ImageLetters From Father Christmas
by J.R.R. Tolkien
Houghton Mifflin; Mariner Books; Published: 2004-11-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $13.46
Price in other shops: $21.95