2013 Hobbit (Marian Czarkowski)

The Hobbit

Release Date: 2013.11
Reader: Marian Czarkowski
Language: Polish
Translator: Maria Skibniewska
Organization: Muza SA
ISBN: 9788377584170
Duration: 10 hours 42 minutes
Unabridged: Yes
Country: Poland
Licenced: Yes
Formats: MP3-CD, Digital

Marian Czarkowski is a distinguished Polish theater and film actor known for his deep, resonant, and “fatherly” voice. His style is that of a traditional, immersive storyteller. He doesn’t use “cartoonish” voices for the characters but rather subtle shifts in tone and pacing.

Marian Czarkowski had previously recorded Władca Pierścieni (The Lord of the Rings) in 2008 allowing for a consistent 70-hour journey through Tolkien’s world narrated by a single voice.

The recording uses the 1960 translation by Maria Skibniewska who was the first and highly respected Polish translator of Tolkien. Her work is famous for its linguistic beauty and for being “blessed” by Tolkien himself during his lifetime. She preserved the original English names while providing an elegant, almost archaic Polish prose.

The original recording was made in 2013 and released on MP3-CD. In 2022 files were remastered for higher fidelity and better chapter-tagging on online platforms.