Short answers, pulled from the story.
J. R. R. Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings, and the three volumes were published in the United Kingdom on the 29th of July 1954, the 11th of November 1954, and the 20th of October 1955 respectively.
The story follows hobbits Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin as they attempt to destroy the One Ring created by the Dark Lord Sauron to enslave the Free Peoples of Middle-earth.
The Lord of the Rings has sold over 150 million copies, making it one of the best-selling books ever written.
Tolkien drew inspiration from philology, mythology, Christianity, earlier fantasy works, his childhood experiences in Worcestershire, and his own experiences in the First World War.
The Lord of the Rings has been adapted into radio, stage, motion pictures, and video games, including Peter Jackson's live action film trilogy and Amazon's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.