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Macalaure · 09-25-2006, 10:58 AM

I have LotR and Silmarillion in both English and German and the Hobbit and UT only in German.

Then the Letters and HoMe 1-5 and 10-12.

Each of these has some very interesting parts and some, well, not so interesting parts. It depends on what you are interested in. Out of the History I'd recommend parts 3 and 10-12.

Part 3 (The Lays of Beleriand) has the lovely Lay of Leithian, the story of Beren and Lúthien in verse (the verses in the Silmarillion are from it). The language is just awesome. I think I memorised half of Canto IV (Before Thingol), I read that part so often. The Lay of the Children of Húrin is great, too, I'm sure, but alliterative rhyme is not so to my taste.

10-12 contain the latest version of the Silmarillion. Part 10 (Morgoth's Ring) also contains 'Laws and Customs among the Eldar', the 'Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth' and 'Myths Transformed', all extremely interesting texts. Part 11 (The War of the Jewels) has 'The Wanderings of Húrin', and Part 12 (The Peoples of Middle-Earth) has 'Of Dwarves and Men' and 'The Shibboleth of Fëanor'.

I'm currently thinking about reading some of the secondary literature on Middle-earth. Can anybody recommend something?

09-25-2006, 10:58 AM	#74
Macalaure Fading Fëanorion Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: into the flood again Posts: 2,947	I have LotR and Silmarillion in both English and German and the Hobbit and UT only in German. Then the Letters and HoMe 1-5 and 10-12. Each of these has some very interesting parts and some, well, not so interesting parts. It depends on what you are interested in. Out of the History I'd recommend parts 3 and 10-12. Part 3 (The Lays of Beleriand) has the lovely Lay of Leithian, the story of Beren and Lúthien in verse (the verses in the Silmarillion are from it). The language is just awesome. I think I memorised half of Canto IV (Before Thingol), I read that part so often. The Lay of the Children of Húrin is great, too, I'm sure, but alliterative rhyme is not so to my taste. 10-12 contain the latest version of the Silmarillion. Part 10 (Morgoth's Ring) also contains 'Laws and Customs among the Eldar', the 'Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth' and 'Myths Transformed', all extremely interesting texts. Part 11 (The War of the Jewels) has 'The Wanderings of Húrin', and Part 12 (The Peoples of Middle-Earth) has 'Of Dwarves and Men' and 'The Shibboleth of Fëanor'. I'm currently thinking about reading some of the secondary literature on Middle-earth. Can anybody recommend something?