The Lord of the Rings is an epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's book The Hobbit but eventually developed into a much larger work. It is one of the best-selling books ever written, with over 150 million copies sold. The books helped create and shape the modern fantasy genre. Several award-winning adaptations of The Lord of the Rings have been made for radio, theatre, and film.

Source: Wikipedia