Colorful First Edition of ‘The Hobbit' Returned to UNT Library — 45 Years Later

It took 45 years, but a book that once belonged to the library at the University of North Texas has finally been "there and back again."In a story that seems straight out of a Seinfeld episode -- minus the bitter library cop -- a book that was taken from the library in 1974 has finally been returned. And it's one of the most beloved novels ever written.A typed letter without a name attached accompanied a mailed-in 1938 first U.S. edition of J.R.R. Tolkien's novel, The Hobbit: or There and Back Again, complete with the author's own rare illustrations."We have no idea if this individual was a student, man or woman, but judging by the letter, this seems like a person who's well-versed in literature and was able to identify the book's value pretty easily," said Morgan Gieringer, head of special collections for UNT Libraries.  Continue reading...

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