Written in stages between 1937 and 1949, the first volume of The Lord of the Rings series, The Fellowship of the Ring, was published on 28 July 1954. The publishers did a small print run and promised J.R.R. Tolkien half the profits, expecting that the book would have only small appeal. Within six weeks a reprint was ordered and the reviews were mainly excellent. The second volume, The Two Towers, appeared the same year, and the last, The Return of the King in 1955.
Set in Middle-earth, Lord of the Rings began as a sequel to Tolkien’s 1937 work, The Hobbit, but eventually developed into a much larger work. Although often called a trilogy, the work was intended by Tolkien to be part of a two-volume set. It is divided internally into six books, two books per volume, with several appendices of background material. Some later editions print the entire work in a single volume, following the author’s original intent.
In 1965 when paperback editions were released sales grew rapidly, soon attaining cult status in America where Tolkien Societies were formed. The author was deluged with fan mail, visitors wanting to meet him and requests for interviews. Fame puzzled him and he found it exhausting, though he was delighted when readers found his world of Middle-earth ‘real’ and wanted further detail.
The Lord of the Rings has been reprinted many times and translated into over 30 languages. Its enduring popularity has led to numerous references in popular culture, the founding of many fan societies, and the publication of many books about Tolkien and his works. Award-winning adaptations have been made for radio, theatre, and film. It has been named Britain’s best novel of all time in the BBC’s 2003 poll The Big Read.
Until he died aged 81 in September 1973, J.R.R Tolkien remained both flattered and puzzled by the popularity of the books and the adulation of fans.