This is a review of the hardcover 75th anniversary edition of The Hobbit (ISBN: 978-0-618-96863-3).I purchased this book to replace an aging/worn paperback after looking through various editions for one that would combine durability, reading ease, and affordable cost. Some hardcover editions are too large/heavy for comfortable lap reading (I have read my paperback to my son and intend to revisit the book with him again in the future). Others were simply too costly, either due to second-hand pricing in the collector’s market or the up-front cost for purchase. Although I can appreciate the desire of some readers to own a high quality illustrated (or leather-bound) edition, I am personally uncomfortable paying astronomical prices for a book that is intended to be read, with all the wear & tear that comes with doing so.The book is of a good size and has a comfortable weight for carrying on-the-go. I am somewhat concerned that the binding is thin as is the glue that holds the pages together. The book should work fine for quite a few readings but it may not retain its shape if you hope to pass it down to future generations or if you are a frequent traveler. Paper is of a good thickness where you can barely see the text on the surrounding pages. As someone who despises thin paper like you might find in most Bibles, the page thickness is greatly appreciated. They are also not “floppy” and thus should be easy to read while sitting next to a child or when in bed. The text inside is easy to read and of a sufficient size/spacing for most readers (I wear glasses and can read it just fine – much better than with my old paperbacks), although I would look elsewhere if large print is needed.I was pleasantly surprised to find a few of Tolkien’s own illustrations included with the text, although I do not care for the sudden presence of glossy white pages for the occasional color illustration. The dust jacket reflects Tolkien’s original design which I love. It is made of a fine paper (and not glossy!) with raised lettering, but the image is very obviously scanned in and a bit blurry. Despite the image quality concern, I am enough of a fan of the artwork to make this a rare instance in which I will keep the dust jacket (the underlying cover is plain black). Tolkien’s illustrations have a whimsicalness to them that fits well with the nature of the story, and is also far removed from the imagery of the films. The maps are full color and printed on the inside flaps of the covers. I would have preferred a different format for those, such as the foldout maps in certain editions of The Lord of the Rings, but they work fine.This edition also matches up pretty closely with the hardcover The Lord of the Rings boxed set with the older Alan Lee paintings (ISBNs 978-90395048931-4, 978-0-395-48933-8, 978-0-395-48930-7), although it is of inferior quality to those volumes (see photos for comparison)