Timeline October 1955

Events in October 1955 6

• 1954 – 1955 The Lord of the Rings published The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers are published on 29 July 1954; The Return of the King follows on 20 October 1955. The reviews are divided: W.H. Auden calls it 'a masterpiece'; C.S. Lewis proclaims it 'lightning from a clear sky'; Edmund Wilson dismisses it as 'juvenile trash.' The book sells steadily but not spectacularly in the UK. Then in 1965 an unauthorised American paperback edition by Ace Books — exploiting a copyright technicality — triggers an explosion of popularity that makes The Lord of the Rings a cultural phenomenon.
• 1955 John Coltrane joins the Miles Davis Quintet First great quintet Joins Miles Davis' band, with Red Garland and Philly Joe Jones.
• 1955 Miles Davis forms his first great quintet With John Coltrane With Coltrane, Red Garland, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones.
• 1955 Buddy Holly opens for Elvis Presley in Lubbock Turning point Seeing Elvis turns him from country to rock and roll.
• 1955 – present Declaration of Neutrality Always Neutral A constitutional law declaring Austria's perpetual neutrality, a cornerstone of its modern identity.
• 1955 – present Bill Gates Microsoft founder Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft and helped bring personal computers to the masses, later becoming one of history's greatest philanthropists.