When was J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit first published?

J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit was first published on 21 September 1937.

The book was issued in London by George Allen & Unwin, with illustrations by Tolkien himself. Its protagonist, Bilbo Baggins, is drawn into an adventure involving Thorin Oakenshield’s company, the dragon Smaug, and the discovery of a mysterious ring.

The Hobbit began as a children’s fantasy, but its success led Tolkien’s publisher to request a sequel. That sequel became The Lord of the Rings, which developed a darker tone and a much larger history. Tolkien revised parts of The Hobbit so its account of the Ring would fit the later narrative.

Readers sometimes date the book from its American publication or later editions, but 21 September 1937 is the standard date for the first British edition. The novel quickly attracted strong reviews and won the 1938 Carnegie Medal nomination.