What was the title of J.R.R. Tolkien’s 1937 fantasy novel?

J.R.R. Tolkien’s 1937 fantasy novel was titled The Hobbit, or There and Back Again.

The book follows Bilbo Baggins, a comfort-loving hobbit recruited by the wizard Gandalf to join Thorin Oakenshield and a company of dwarves. Their journey leads to the Lonely Mountain, where the dragon Smaug guards a vast treasure. Bilbo’s discovery of a mysterious ring becomes especially important in Tolkien’s later work.

The Hobbit began as a children’s adventure story, but its setting and mythology connected it to Tolkien’s larger legendarium. Its success encouraged his publisher to request a sequel, eventually leading to The Lord of the Rings. The novel has also been adapted for radio, animation, live-action film, and stage productions.