“All I remember about the start of The Hobbit is sitting correcting School Certificate papers in the everlasting weariness of that annual task forced on impecunious academics with children. On a blank leaf I scrawled: ‘In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.’ I did not and do not know why.”
– J.R.R. Tolkien
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The Hobbit: or There and Back Again.
Originally published by Allen & Unwin in 1937 (2nd ed. 1951, 3rd ed. 1966, 4th ed. 1978) and by HM in 1938 (2nd Amer. ed. 1951 [cloth] and 1965 [paper], 3rd Amer. ed. 1966); many editions are currently available, including special 50th anniversary editions; standard ones are: HM, 1966 (ISBN 0-395-28265-9) (paper); Ballantine, 1966 (ISBN 0-345-33968-1) (paper). -Buy at Amazon.com
The Lord of the Rings: compleat version.
Originally published by Allen & Unwin in 1954-55 and by HM in 1955-56; revised edition in 1965; sometimes published as one volume but generally as three; the 1987 HM editions referred to below are the most recent attempt to correct the many textual errors that have crept in over the years. [See the Note on the Text, by Douglas A. Anderson, at the beginning of FR of that edition.] -Buy at Amazon.com
The Fellowship of the Ring: first part to The Lord of the Rings.
HM, 1987 (ISBN 0-395-48931-8); HM, 1987 (ISBN 0-395-27223-8) (paper); Ballantine, 1965 (ISBN 0-345-33970-3)(paper). -Buy at Amazon.com
The Two Towers: second part to The Lord of the Rings.
HM, 1987 (ISBN 0-395-48933-4); HM, 1987 (ISBN 0-395-27222-X) (paper); Ballantine, 1965 (ISBN 0-345-33971-1)(paper). -Buy at Amazon.com
The Return of the King: third part to The Lord of the Rings.
HM, 1987 (ISBN 0-395-48930-X); HM, 1987 (ISBN 0-395-27221-I) (paper); Ballantine, 1965 (ISBN 0-345-33973-8)(paper). -Buy at Amazon.com
The Silmarillion: story of events prier to The Lord of the Rings.
Edited by Christopher Tolkien. HM, 1977 (ISBN 0-395-25730-I); HM, 1983 (ISBN 0-395-34646-0) (paper); Ballantine, 1985 (ISBN 0-345-32581-8) (paper). -Buy at Amazon.com
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien.
Selected and Edited by Humphrey Carpenter with the assistance of Christopher Tolkien. HM, 1981 (ISBN 0-395-31555-7). -Buy at Amazon.com
The Road Goes Ever On: A Song Cycle.
Poems by J.R.R. Tolkien set to music by Donald Swann. HM, 1967, 1978 (ISBN 0-395-24758-6) [op]. Allen & Unwin, 1968, 1978 (ISBN 0-04-784011-0) (British edition).
A Tolkien Compass.
Including J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Guide to the Names in The Lord of the Rings” (prepared for publication by Christopher Tolkien). Edited by Jared Lobdell. Open Court Publishing Company, 1975 (ISBN 0-87548-316-X); Open Court Publishing Company, 1975 (ISBN 0-87548-303-8) (paper); Ballantine, 1980 (ISBN 0-345-28855-6) (paper).
Unfinished Tales.
Edited by Christopher Tolkien. HM, 1980 (ISBN 0-395-29917-9) [op]; HM, 1982 (ISBN 0-395-32441-6) (paper); Ballantine, 1988 (ISBN 0-345-35711-6)(paper). -Buy at Amazon.com
Pictures by J.R.R. Tolkien.
HM, 1979 (ISBN 0-395-28523-2) [op].
- -The History of Middle-earth Series:
- Since 1984 Christopher Tolkien has been presenting his father’s unpublished writings: his editing is both very careful and extremely detailed. These books are admittedly not for everyone, but being as they are rather a mixed bag, neither should they be dismissed without consideration. Brief descriptions have therefore been provided to aid individual decisions. It must be said up front that, rumors to the contary notwithstanding, these are not new stories (though they arguably approach being new stories in several cases).
The History of Middle-earth: Volumes I-VII
The Book of Lost Tales, Part One.
(HoM-e Vol I). HM, 1984 (ISBN 0-395-35439-0) [op]; HM, 1986 (ISBN 0-395-40927-6) (paper); Del Rey (Ballantine), 1992 (ISBN 0-345-37521-1) (paper). -Buy at Amazon.com
The Book of Lost Tales, Part Two.
(HoM-e Vol II). HM, 1984 (ISBN 0-395-36614-3) [op]; HM, 1986 (ISBN 0-395-42640-5) (paper); Del Rey (Ballantine), 1992 (ISBN 0-345-37522-X) (paper). -Buy at Amazon.com
The Lays of Beleriand.
(HoM-e Vol III). HM, 1985 (ISBN 0-395-39429-5); HM, 1988 (ISBN 0-395-48683-1) (paper). -Buy at Amazon.com
The Shaping of Middle-earth: The Quenta, The Ambarkanta, and The Annals.
(HoM-e Vol IV). HM, 1986 (ISBN 0-395-42501-8). -Buy at Amazon.com
The Lost Road and Other Writings: Language and Legend Before ‘The Lord of the Rings’.
(HoM-e Vol V). HM, 1987 (ISBN 0-395-45519-7). -Buy at Amazon.com
The Return of the Shadow: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part One.
(HoM-e Vol VI). HM, 1988 (ISBN 0-395-49863-5).
The Treason of Isengard: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Two.
(HoM-e Vol VII). HM, 1989 (ISBN 0-395-51562-9).
The War of the Ring: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Three.
(HoM-e Vol VIII). HM, 1990 (ISBN 0-395-56008-X).
Sauron Defeated: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Four.
(HoM-e Vol IX). HM, 1992 (ISBN 0-395-60649-7).
- -The Rest:
There are still many books in relation to The Lord of the Rings and it would take me forever to go through them all. So click here to see a list of most of the other books. I am trying to get them all linked to online bookstores that have them. From there you may want to check them out.
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