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Iarwain · 07-01-2003, 06:05 PM

I know I've posted on this before in another thread, but in the helping spirit, here's my opinion as to the order you should read the books.

1. Hobbit
2. Lord of the Rings
3. Silmarillion
4. Unfinished Tales
5. A Biography (any of them, you'll probably want a background if you desire to continue onward towards the HoME books.)
6. Letters (you can read them all at once, or selectively as you feel the need)
7. History of Middle-Earth (the book of lost tales is similiar in parts to the Silmarillion, after that you get a lot of interesting background info through unpublished drafts and such. I have not yet completed any single HoME book)
8. Other novels, including Roverandom, Leaf by Niggle, Mr. Bliss, etc. (by now you've completed all material on Middle-Earth. Now you move on to the real world in step 9)
9. Professional Works, including Beowulf: the Monsters and the Critics, and other lesser known titles. (this step is completely optional, and depends greatly on one's own love of language which has been developed through reading Tolkien. These titles are also quite rare, and I have not yet been able to find any of them so far.)

Enjoy your pursuits!

Iarwain

07-01-2003, 06:05 PM	#9
Iarwain Pugnaciously Primordial Paradox Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Birnham Wood Posts: 800	I know I've posted on this before in another thread, but in the helping spirit, here's my opinion as to the order you should read the books. 1. Hobbit 2. Lord of the Rings 3. Silmarillion 4. Unfinished Tales 5. A Biography (any of them, you'll probably want a background if you desire to continue onward towards the HoME books.) 6. Letters (you can read them all at once, or selectively as you feel the need) 7. History of Middle-Earth (the book of lost tales is similiar in parts to the Silmarillion, after that you get a lot of interesting background info through unpublished drafts and such. I have not yet completed any single HoME book) 8. Other novels, including Roverandom, Leaf by Niggle, Mr. Bliss, etc. (by now you've completed all material on Middle-Earth. Now you move on to the real world in step 9) 9. Professional Works, including Beowulf: the Monsters and the Critics, and other lesser known titles. (this step is completely optional, and depends greatly on one's own love of language which has been developed through reading Tolkien. These titles are also quite rare, and I have not yet been able to find any of them so far.) Enjoy your pursuits! Iarwain __________________ "And what are oaths but words we say to God?"