I imagine most people are familiar with this work, either from reading the original novel or from the recent film series. This book was written as a children's fantasy by Tolkien back in the 1930s, and set the stage for the later Lord of the Rings. The plot is about a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins who is invited to join a company of dwarves who wish to recover their treasure from the dragon Smaug. Bilbo, who had been a pretty simple home-bound soul changes dramatically through the events he experiences and becomes someone much different.

This book was lauded on its publication and deservedly so.