The Hobbit is 87 years old today

[Bêthberry]

The years are creeping up on The Hobbit. It was published September 21, 1937, at the tail end of a decade that saw the worst economic depression in the Western world. Yet its ethos was hardly that of doom, gloom, and depression. It was eagerly received and well regarded.Words such as "marvellous" and "freshly original" found their way into reviews, as well as the claim that it was destined to be a classic of children's literature. Now, it is seen as more than simply a children's book but as a narrative which shaped a culture in surprising ways.

What was the context in which you first read The Hobbit and did that context influence your reading of the book? Now that you are older, and possibly wiser, and living through the tumultuous and unstable times of the 21st century, does that world context influence how you read Bilbo's story now? Instead of being young and fresh, has it gone gracefully into an old age of seniority?