History of Middle Earth What is Needed?

[Formendacil]

Huinesoron's overview of the books is generally accurate, and his main point that it comes down to what you want is spot-on.

Personally, I think The Book of Lost Tales volumes are the most essential from a literary standpoint. Where the other Silmarillion-centric volumes offer a wealth of information, but are essentially similar to the published Silmarillion in terms of story content, The Book of Lost Tales is like reading the Grimm fairy-tales when you're familiar with the Disney versions.

My favourite volumes tend to be the ones you've already bought--the post-LotR Silmarillion-centric volumes. They are drier though, not least because the texts that are original to them tend to be philosophical or speculative, whereas the narrative is basically the same as the published Silmarillion. That's not a bad thing--I personally really enjoy Tolkien's "non-fiction" take on Middle-earth (what nerd doesn't?), but it's not the same aesthetic, immersive experience.

And I'd personally plug The Peoples of Middle-earth. Like Sauron Defeated it's kind of a hybrid volume. The first half, dealing with the history of texts we already have (namely the Appendices and the Akallabêth) isn't required reading, though we do get some details not seen elsewhere, like the family tree of the House of Dol Amroth. The back half of the book is totally worth it, though--personally, I'd buy the book for "The Shibboleth of Fëanor" alone. The back half of the book is basically Unfinished Tales, Part II. While it is certainly a valid argument to say that Unfinished Tales as a project makes the whole History of Middle-earth series a big incomplete, because CT changed his process, it's still a personal favourite and I like that we get more texts in that vein. Besides the Shibboleth, I think Tal-Elmar and the New Shadow are each worth the price of admission.

[R.R.J Tolkien]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

Huinesoron's overview of the books is generally accurate, and his main point that it comes down to what you want is spot-on.

Personally, I think The Book of Lost Tales volumes are the most essential from a literary standpoint. Where the other Silmarillion-centric volumes offer a wealth of information, but are essentially similar to the published Silmarillion in terms of story content, The Book of Lost Tales is like reading the Grimm fairy-tales when you're familiar with the Disney versions.

My favourite volumes tend to be the ones you've already bought--the post-LotR Silmarillion-centric volumes. They are drier though, not least because the texts that are original to them tend to be philosophical or speculative, whereas the narrative is basically the same as the published Silmarillion. That's not a bad thing--I personally really enjoy Tolkien's "non-fiction" take on Middle-earth (what nerd doesn't?), but it's not the same aesthetic, immersive experience.

And I'd personally plug The Peoples of Middle-earth. Like Sauron Defeated it's kind of a hybrid volume. The first half, dealing with the history of texts we already have (namely the Appendices and the Akallabêth) isn't required reading, though we do get some details not seen elsewhere, like the family tree of the House of Dol Amroth. The back half of the book is totally worth it, though--personally, I'd buy the book for "The Shibboleth of Fëanor" alone. The back half of the book is basically Unfinished Tales, Part II. While it is certainly a valid argument to say that Unfinished Tales as a project makes the whole History of Middle-earth series a big incomplete, because CT changed his process, it's still a personal favourite and I like that we get more texts in that vein. Besides the Shibboleth, I think Tal-Elmar and the New Shadow are each worth the price of admission.

So than much of the published sil comes from Tolkiens later writings post 1937?

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by R.R.J Tolkien

So than much of the published sil comes from Tolkiens later writings post 1937?

There are good chunks that date back before 1937--and, certainly, the overall structure of the "Quenta Silmarillion" is basically the 1937 text, but Tolkien expanded quite a bit (especially from before "the Great Tales") after writing The Lord of the Rings.

Actually, most of what Morgoth's Ring and The War of the Jewels are about, where they deal directly with Silmarillion texts, is showing what parts of the Silm are pre-1937 and what are post-LotR, because Tolkien didn't start over after the LotR--he took his pre-1937 drafts and expanded on them--directly on them, in some cases.

[R.R.J Tolkien]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

There are good chunks that date back before 1937--and, certainly, the overall structure of the "Quenta Silmarillion" is basically the 1937 text, but Tolkien expanded quite a bit (especially from before "the Great Tales") after writing The Lord of the Rings.

Actually, most of what Morgoth's Ring and The War of the Jewels are about, where they deal directly with Silmarillion texts, is showing what parts of the Silm are pre-1937 and what are post-LotR, because Tolkien didn't start over after the LotR--he took his pre-1937 drafts and expanded on them--directly on them, in some cases.

Thanks for your knowledge and help.