The Hobbit on audiobook during long walks
I listened to this over a week of evening walks. It was written to be read aloud, and you can feel it: the narrator voice talks directly to you, jokes, digresses, and occasionally warns you that things are about to go badly.
Hearing the songs and riddles spoken rather than skimming them on a page changed how I felt about them. They stopped being decoration and became part of the rhythm of the journey.
It is a much smaller story than its sequel, and I think that is its strength. The stakes are personal: a comfortable homebody discovering that he is braver than he believed.
Perfect companion for a walk in early autumn.
Verdict: Cosy, funny, timeless.