[Mithalwen]

I can sympathise since I found the early volumes difficult and gave up at vol 4 when they first emerged only completing my set when they were reissued in 2002.

The History of the Lord of the Rings volumes are very readable (I admit they are the only ones I have read from cover to cover so far) and fascinating for the develpment of the story but won't bring you much in the way of new stories. The Peoples of Middle Earth is another interesting one - certainly the one apart from Morgoth's ring that I refer to most.