Which 1937 novel introduced readers to Bilbo Baggins?

The 1937 novel that introduced readers to Bilbo Baggins was The Hobbit. Its full title is The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, and it follows Bilbo’s unexpected journey with Thorin Oakenshield and a company of dwarves.

George Allen & Unwin published the book in London on 21 September 1937. Tolkien originally wrote it as a children’s fantasy, but its setting, languages, and historical depth connected it to the much larger mythology he had been developing for years.

Bilbo begins as a comfort-loving hobbit in Bag End. The adventure takes him through the Misty Mountains, Mirkwood, and the Lonely Mountain, where he encounters dragons, elves, dwarves, and other peoples of Middle-earth.

The Hobbit predates The Lord of the Rings by 17 years. The later trilogy expands Bilbo’s world and gives the One Ring a far more central and dangerous role.