The History of Middle-earth Books in Order
A twelve-volume scholarly series edited by Christopher Tolkien that collects and annotates his father J.R.R. Tolkien's drafts, poems, and unpublished writings, tracing the decades-long evolution of the Middle-earth legendarium. Published from 1983 to 1996, it documents the development of works from The Book of Lost Tales through The Lord of the Rings and the later Silmarillion materials.
Publication order
In the order the books were originally released.
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![Cover of The Book of Lost Tales [1/2]](https://covers.openlibrary.org/b/id/9293488-M.jpg)
Buy on Amazon1983 · J.R.R. Tolkien
Opening Christopher Tolkien's twelve-volume study of his father's writings, this first part presents the earliest form of the mythology that would…
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![Cover of The Book of Lost Tales [2/2]](https://covers.openlibrary.org/b/id/8220093-M.jpg)
Buy on Amazon1984 · J.R.R. Tolkien
The second part continues the framed collection of early legends narrated to the wanderer Eriol on the elvish isle. It contains the original versions…
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Buy on Amazon1985 · J.R.R. Tolkien
This volume collects Tolkien's attempts to recast his legends in long narrative verse. At its heart are two unfinished poems: the alliterative Lay of…
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Buy on Amazon1986 · J.R.R. Tolkien
Here the mythology takes on a more structured, summarizing form. The volume centers on early versions of the "Quenta," a condensed prose history of…
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Buy on AmazonThe lost road and other writings
1987 · J.R.R. Tolkien
This volume gathers the writings of the later 1930s, just before The Lord of the Rings began. It includes the abandoned time-travel story "The Lost…
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Buy on Amazon1988 · J.R.R. Tolkien
The first of four volumes tracing the composition of The Lord of the Rings, this book follows the story from its hesitant beginnings. It shows…
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Buy on Amazon1989 · J.R.R. Tolkien
Continuing the drafts of The Lord of the Rings, this volume covers the evolving manuscript through the breaking of the Fellowship and into the wider…
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Buy on Amazon1990 · J.R.R. Tolkien
The third volume of drafts tracks The Lord of the Rings through its central battles and quests. It follows the working manuscripts covering Frodo and…
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Buy on Amazon1992 · J.R.R. Tolkien
The final volume on the drafts of The Lord of the Rings carries the narrative to its conclusion and includes abandoned epilogues. Beyond that, it…
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Buy on Amazon1993 · J.R.R. Tolkien
Returning to the mythology of the Elder Days, this volume gathers the substantial revisions Tolkien made after completing The Lord of the Rings. It…
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Buy on Amazon1994 · J.R.R. Tolkien
A companion to the previous volume, this book continues the later Silmarillion material focused on the wars of Beleriand. It presents the Grey…
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Buy on Amazon1996 · J.R.R. Tolkien
The concluding volume of the series collects Tolkien's late writings, many concerning the appendices and framework of The Lord of the Rings. It…
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Frequently asked questions
What order should I read the The History of Middle-earth books in?
Publication order — Christopher Tolkien and publisher (George Allen & Unwin / HarperCollins / Houghton Mifflin) numbered the volumes 1-12 in publication sequence; widely followed by readers Start with “The Book of Lost Tales [1/2].”
How many books are in the The History of Middle-earth series?
We list 12 books by J.R.R. Tolkien , published between 1983–1996.
Where can I buy the The History of Middle-earth books?
Each title above links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted an error? We continuously correct the catalog.