The Hobbit

From J.R.R. Tolkien's own description for the original edition: "If you care for journeys there and back, out of the comfortable Western world, over the edge of the Wild, and home again, and can take an interest in a humble hero (blessed with a little wisdom and a little courage and considerable good luck), here is a record of such a journey and such a traveler. . . . In following the path of this humble adventurer, you will learn by the way (as he did)--if you do not already know all about these things--much about trolls, goblins, dwarves, and elves, and get some glimpses into the history and politics of a neglected but important period."