Yesterday I received in the mail my pocket sized copies of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings pictured here:
Also here:
The outside feels like this faux leather that bends easily like rubber but seems like it could take a lot of abuse.
Since they are pocket sized of course the writing is small but the type is equal to any hardcover or paperback edition. In fact, it looks almost exactly the same like they were originally larger and went through a shrink ray.
In fact, I was surprised to find The Return of the King still included the appendices and the index.
As far as fitting into my pocket is concerned, it fits about as well as an iPhone 6+. They’re definitely not meant for small pockets or tight jeans but fit nicely in the pockets of my coats, sports coats and blazers.
They’re a nice edition to my collection and I plan on annotating them to death. If you’re buying these books for the first time though I don’t suggest them.
Fantasy Books and Fantasy Booking 
Love these! All I have is the big one volume edition, and no pocket even close to that size. These are perfect. Good to know they’re around. Do you know if they’re the 50th anniversary text? It should say shortly after the table of contents.
This was a great question. I checked Amazon, Goodreads, Theonering.net, Tolkien Library, and Houghton Mifflin’s site but none of them say which version of the text it is.
It does not include the “Foreword to the 50th Anniversary Edition” in Fellowship of the Ring and using this website:
http://www.hammondandscull.com/addenda/rings.html
Also, upon doing more research I found this link detailing the complication of the difference 50th Anniversary corrections.
http://wayneandchristina.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/lord-of-the-rings-comparison/
Short answer, yes, it is the 50th Anniversary text but based on the one that was printed in 2004 and not the latest ones that have come out recently. If you have big volume with the leather binding or the paperback one with the Misty Mountains it’s the same text as that.
Thanks! The 50th and 60th anniversary editions are basically exact (according to Wayne Hammond) . Weird that it doesn’t have the blurb about the intro though.
Thanks so much!
I just stumbled on this post looking for these exact versions. Can you tell me where you found them? Thank you.
I originlly bought them on Amazon when they came out (10/31) but they seem to be sold out already, I can’t believe that. Do not look for them from Third party sellers on Amazon, they’ve jacked up the price. Ebay has them for Buy It Now at the normal price I paid at 37.99 up to around 50-60 dollars plus shipping and handling. Good luck.
Are these the same ones?
http://www.amazon.com/The-Hobbit-Lord-Rings-Deluxe/dp/0544445783/ref=pd_sim_b_31?ie=UTF8&refRID=0AZ4HXW8KZNRTRQ7W3QB
Amazon doesn’t make them easy to find. These came up when I was searching for something else.
Oh yes that is them, good find.
I bought them for “first read”. Purposely I have chosen a small, single issue edition for reading them on travel and when abroad. Pray tell, why would you not recommend them for first read? Is something wrong about the lectorate?
You know, looking back on this post I don’t know why I said I wouldn’t recommend them for your first read.
It might be because the completionist in me because it is missing the “Foreward to the 50th Anniversary Edition” or it may be my poor eyesight has trouble with the small print.
Looking at them now, I see no reason why you shouldn’t read these editions for your first time through. The convenient size may be even better than the heavy three-in-one edition I lugged around for my first read.