The History of the Rings
(Mainly the Third Age, but including also non-Númenórean Second Age stories through the early Fourth Age)

Outside the novels, most writings tackle a subject and present its complete history from the beginning to the end of the Age. And of course they assume you have read the novels. Thus it is not as useful to put into chronological order. But, without getting too fiddly, let’s try anyway! We’re going to mainly look at Appendix A and UNFINISHED TALES, plus only one or two other important bits.


The History of Galadriel and Celeborn (UT)
Durin’s Folk (RK)
The Drúedain (UT)
The Disaster of the Gladden Fields (UT)

The Númenorean Kings - parts i-iv (RK)
The Istari (UT)
Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan (UT)
The House of Eorl (RK)

Prologue (FR)
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil - poems 1-2
The Quest for Erebor (UT)
The Hobbit

The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen (RK)
The Palantíri (UT)
The Hunt for the Ring (UT)
The Battles of the Fords of Isen (UT)
The Lord of the Rings

The Epilogue (IX)
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil - Preface and poems 3-16
The New Shadow (XII)

Great list!

Might also be worth inserting Glorfindel & The Five Wizards from Last Writings somewhere in the second age stuff. Perhaps in 1600.

Ulmo that is incredible. Thanks so much. I think I fell into the little bit of knowledge trap. 80)
I think a better plan for me is read the books I have (pretty much all but HOME) at least a couple more times in a roughly chronological order as I buy up the single volume HOME books over the next year or two. Then attempt a full read through based on the above.
I can certainly see how people spend decades reading and re-reading these texts. What and incredible author and editor they were.

The Notion Club papers is indeed a must read. Nice additions Ulmo. My addition finally would be (i might have overlooked this in your lists if so my appologies):

-Mimes klage /the complaints of mim the dwarf

I would also say that all of 'the lost road' is part of the legendarium though some of it surely belongs to our age along with the notion club papers.

There was a very good talk at this years Oxonmoot regarding Mim.

northman wrote:

-Mimes klage /the complaints of mim the dwarf

Thanks, yeah. I guess I hold out hope that the original will be published someday.

northman wrote:

I would also say that all of 'the lost road' is part of the legendarium though some of it surely belongs to our age along with the notion club papers.

I would consider the first two chapters (the ones taking place in “our age” as you say) essentially poor drafts of the much more interesting and complete ‘The Notion Club Papers,’ and therefore I omit them to keep the focus on the greater work. I similarly omitted a lot of “‘Silmarillion’ drafts” and variants contained throughout HoMe, indeed the majority of IV, V, X, and XI. Just like I omitted the LotR drafts in VI, VII, VIII, and part of IX and XII; not to mention The History of The Hobbit. But of course it’s ideal to read them all. All or most of the HoMe books include unique poems and essays worth reading, as well. I also found VI The Return of the Shadow, especially “Phase One,” suuuuper interesting. Tolkien’s “process” in beginning LotR was amazing.