What was the first part of The Lord of the Rings published by J.R.R. Tolkien?
Answer
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Fellowship of the Ring was the first part of The Lord of the Rings published by J.R.R. Tolkien.
George Allen & Unwin released it in July 1954. It begins with the history of the One Ring and follows Frodo Baggins after Bilbo leaves the Shire. The narrative then expands through Bree, Rivendell and the formation of the Fellowship before reaching the mines of Moria and the breaking of the company.
The second volume, The Two Towers, appeared later in 1954, and The Return of the King followed in 1955. Tolkien considered the entire work one continuous story rather than three independent novels, but the volume titles are now inseparable from how readers encounter the epic.
The Fellowship of the Ring should not be confused with The Hobbit, which was published in 1937 and serves as an earlier story. It also differs from the later film adaptation, released in 2001.