Summary

Book 1

Chapter 1: A Long-Expected Party

Shire
Bilbo's 111th birthday party
Gandalf arrives
Party preparations
Bilbo says farewell
Gandalf meets Bilbo back at Bag End
Discussion about Bilbo's plans
Bilbo tries to leave with the ring
Bilbo departs
Frodo arrives
Gandalf doesn't say much about the ring
People coming to get things from Bag End
Gandalf and Frodo have a discussion in the evening
True story of how Bilbo obtained the ring
Gandalf begins to wonder about the ring
Tells Frodo not to use it
Gandalf departs, Frodo does not see him again for a long time

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 1

Chapter 2: The Shadow of the Past

Shire
This chapter covers a lot of time between the birthday party and the beginning of Frodo's quest
Rumors of strange things, strangers passing through the Shire, elves going west
Gandalf does not appear for several years
Sam introduced as Frodo's gardner
Gandalf first appears 3 years after the birthday party
Shows up frequently for 1-2 years
Disappears for nine years
Gandalf appears one day
Gandalf tells Frodo about the rings of power
Mortals do not die/do not grow/merely continues
The ring will change shape/size
Gandalf recounts the White Council discussing how to drive Sauron from Mirkwood (just before the Battle of Five Armies)
Bilbo lying about the ring to claim it (parallels Smeagol behavior)
Gandalf raises prospect of Sauron invading the Shire
Ring is thrown into the fire, ancient Elvish characters but language of Mordor
Gandalf reveals that it is the One Ring
Sauron discovered the ring was not lost, gathering strength in Mordor, looking for the ring
Some history on the ring
Isildur (Elendil's son) cut the One Ring from Sauron's hand
Sauron retreated, eventually fled to Mirkwood
Isildur attacked by Orcs, ring fell into the Great River
Deagol/Smeagol story
Smeagol wanders, begins obsessing, stealing, takes name Gollum
Retreated into the Misty Mountains, Sauron knew nothing of the ring
Similarities between river folk (Smeagol) and hobbits (love of riddles)
Gollumn growing to hate the dark, hate the light, hate the ring
Ring of power looks after itself
Gandalf reveals he has talked with Gollum, found him, interrogated him
Precious (peculiar way of talking)
Gollum had discovered where Bilbo came from (Shire)
Gollum did not go to the Shire, but tried to
Mirkwood Wood-elves helped track Gollum
Gollum's trail went cold, Gandalf let him go and let him be
Trail was cold after he took it up again on Bilbo's 111th birthday
Gandalf got help from Aragorn
Tracked Gollum down entire length of Wilderland
Gandalf discovers Gollum went to Mordor
Gollum lurked around Morodr, was finally caught and interrogated
Sauron learned that the One Ring was found again
He heard "hobbits" and "Shire"
Pity and mercy, deserving death/life
Frodo asks why the Ring hasn't been destroyed
Gandalf instructs him to throw it in the fire, Frodo is reluctant
Must be destroyed in the Cracks of Doom in the depths of Orodruin, the Fire-mountain
Frodo offers the ring to Gandalf
Realizes he must leave the Shire
Frodo torn between the call to adventure and the desire to stay in the Shire
Mr. Underhill
Sam eavesdropping
Gandalf orders Sam to go with Frodo

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 2

Chapter 3: Three is Company

Gandalf encourages Frodo to leave Bag End and leave the Shire
Frodo reluctant to leave, but makes his mind up to leave on his 50th birthday (17 years after Bilbo's 111th birthday)
Gandalf recommends Frodo go to Rivendell
Frodo sells Bag End to the Sackville-Bagginses
Gandalf stays in the Shire for two months (May and June)
Gandalf then leaves to get news
He promises to come back for the farewell birthday party
Frodo does not hear from Gandalf
Merry and Fatty go to the house in Crickhollow
Stranger (dark rider) talking to Gaffer (Sam's father)
Frodo, Pippin, and Sam leave Bag End
After lunch, a black rider comes along the road
Sniffs around
Frodo has desire to use ring
Black rider leaves
They continue on
As they are preparing to sleep for the night, another Black Rider comes along the road
Gets off horse, begins crawling toward them
Distracted by Elves (in the Woody End, from beyond the Tower Hills)
Gildor Inglorion (House of Finrod)
Hobbits mention black riders, Elves escort them
March to woods on the hills above Woodhall* Sam sleeps curled up at Frodo's feet
Frodo and Gildor have one on one time, talking about goings on outside the Shire
Gildor knows Frodo is leaving the Shire, and is pursued by the Enemy
Gildor learns that Gandalf has told Frodo nothing about the Black Riders, so he doesn't tell Frodo anything either

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 3

Chapter 4: A Shortcut to Mushrooms

Sam agrees to go with Frodo, leave the Shire
They agree to head for Bucklebury Ferry
The group sets off through a shortcut through the forest
They spot a black rider across a bank
Continue on for several hours
Hear screeching of black riders
Farmer Maggot's farm
Pippin good friends with Maggot, Frodo scared of his dogs
Attacked by his dogs
He invites them in
Tells them about dark rider asking about Baggins
He agrees to help them get to Bucklebury Ferry
They leave after supper
Carriage gets stopped, it's Merry
Maggot drops them off at the Ferry

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 4

Chapter 5

A Conspiracy Unmasked

The four hobbits reach the other side of the river
They look back and see someone that looks like a dark bundle crawling or searching on the ground
Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin stop in to see Fatty at Crickhollow before departing
They have a bath and dinner
Frodo tells them he has to leave the Shire
Merry and Pippin agree to join
Merry reveals he knew about the ring
Frodo makes plans to stay the night and leave the next day
Going through the Old Forest

Quotes: Fellowship of the Ring/Quotes#Chapter 5