The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Some people say that The Lord of the Rings is the greatest book written in the 20th century. It is indeed a masterpiece of fiction and creativity unrivalled by the works of any other other 20th century writers.

The Lord of the Rings is a sequel to J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. Whereas The Hobbit followed the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, The Lord of the Rings followed the adventures of Bilbo's adopted son and heir Frodo Baggins and his servant Samwise Gamgee; but the story is so large it also follows the adventures of Frodo's cousins Peregrin Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck.

Aided by the wizard Gandalf and various Elves, Dwarves, and Men the hobbits set out on a dangerous journey to find a safe place for the One Ring, the long-missing artifact created by Sauron the Dark Lord for his personal use. If Sauron is reunited with the One Ring he will conquer all of Middle-earth.

After holding a grave council the Elf-lord Elrond of Rivendell sends Frodo and eight companions on a mission to destroy the One Ring in Mordor, Sauron's ancient land where he secretly made the One Ring thousands of years in the past. The story is much too long and complex to summarize here.

Here are a few questions about The Lord of the Rings:

Is Is True There Is Racism in The Lord of the Rings

ANSWER: Yes, it is true there is racism in The Lord of the Rings. However, many people who ask this question may really mean to ask, "Is The Lord of the Rings a racist work of fiction?" Although some people claim that is the case they are mistaken for J.R.R. Tolkien embedded numerous examples of the folly of racism in The Lord of the Rings. In other words, it would be difficult for any other modern work of fiction to be as anti-racist as The Lord of the Rings.

Read the full answer here: Q: Is It True There is Racism in The Lord of the Rings?

Why Did It Take So Long for the Lord of the Rings to Be Published?

ANSWER: In retrospect it may seem like a very long time from the publication of The Hobbit in 1937 to the publication of The Fellowship of the Ring in 1954 (17 years) but this time frame should be viewed as covering several periods in J.R.R. Tolkien’s life.

Read the full answer here: Q: Why Did It Take So Long for the Lord of the Rings to Be Published?

How Accurate is the National Geographic Website on the Lord of the Rings?

ANSWER: As with all online resources about J.R.R. Tolkien and Middle-earth the National Geographic site about The Lord of the Rings has a mix of good information and bad information. It cannot be avoided. More importantly, opinions differ on the meaning or significance of different points about Tolkien’s work.

Read the full answer here: Q: How Accurate is the National Geographic Website on the Lord of the Rings?

Why Did J.R.R. Tolkien Write The Lord of the Rings?

ANSWER: As I pointed out in "Hobbit Tales, Or Never There And Back Again":

The reason J.R.R. Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings was that his readers wanted to read more about hobbits. When first told this by his publishers, Tolkien replied, “I cannot think of anything more to say about hobbits. Mr. Baggins seems to have exhibited so fully both the Took and the Baggins side of their nature” (Tolkien, “The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien”, p. 24).

Read the full answer here: Q: Why Did J.R.R. Tolkien Write The Lord of the Rings?

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