The Hobbit

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who likes his life comfortable and quiet. He rarely goes farther than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End, and he has no wish for anything more. That changes when the wizard Gandalf turns up one day with thirteen dwarves in tow, ready to sweep him off on a journey there and back again.

The company has a bold plan: to steal a share of the treasure hoarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a huge and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo, who never wanted any of this, is somehow the one they need along for the trip.

Published in 1937, The Hobbit serves as the prelude to The Lord of the Rings. It has sold many millions of copies and remains one of the most loved and influential books of the twentieth century.