Discover Middle-Earth

In September of 1937 an Oxford professor by the name of John Ronald Reuel (J.R.R.) Tolkien published a short novel based upon stories originally written for his children: The Hobbit or There and Back Again. This book became the prequel to the later-written Lord of the Rings trilogy and the posthumously published Silmarillion (1977) and sparked a phenomenon that has been loved by generations.

 Film adaptations of The Fellowship of the Ring (Book 1954, Film 2001), The Two Towers (Book 1954, Film 2002), and Return of the King (Book 1955, Film 2003) were blockbuster hits, leading to the current three-part film adaptation of The Hobbit - the second of which, The Desolation of Smaug is currently in theaters (the third movie, There and Back Again is due out in late 2014). 

Learn more about The Hobbit, Middle-Earth, and Tolkien at the Birmingham Public Library.

Read: The Hobbit

Watch: In 1977 The Hobbit was made into an animated motion picture.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is also now available on DVD.

Discover Middle-earth:
The art of the Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien / Wayne G. Hammond & Christina Scull
There and back again : the map of the Hobbit/ text by Brian Sibley; images by John Howe

The complete guide to Middle-earth : from The hobbit to The Silmarillion / Robert Foster

The peoples of middle-earth / J.R.R. Tolkien ; edited by Christopher Tolkien
Realms of Tolkien : images of Middle-earth

Read analysis, commentary, criticism and critique:
Exploring J.R.R. Tolkien's The hobbit / Corey Olsen
The individuated hobbit : Jung, Tolkien, and the archetypes of Middle-Earth / Timothy R. O'Neill
The wisdom of the shire : a short guide to a long and happy life / Noble Smith
Defending Middle-earth : Tolkien, myth and modernity / Patrick Curry
Meditations on Middle Earth / edited by Karen Haber

Learn about the making of the movie:
The hobbit : an unexpected journey : official movie guide / Brian Sibley
The hobbit : an unexpected journey. Chronicles II, Creatures & characters /  Daniel Falconer
The hobbit : an unexpected journey : chronicles : art & design /  Daniel Falconer
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Chronicles: Art & Design

*Images in this post are the primary English language book covers and movie posters used for The Hobbit since its publication. More images of covers for many of Tolkien's books can be found here.