Bilbo Baggins, a respectable, well-to-do hobbit, lives comfortably in his hobbit-hole until the day the wandering wizard Gandalf chooses him to take part in an adventure from which he may never return.

"Though not often recognized as environmental or agrarian literature, the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien demonstrate a complex and comprehensive ecological philosophy. This work examines the underlying environmental philosophy in Tolkien's major works as well as his lesser-known stories and essays.