[GretchenEE]

I should like any of your advice on something. I want to read all of Tolkien's books and wondered in what reading order I would find his books the most enlightening and profitable.

I have read The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, and The Two Towers. Return of the King is being shipped to me now. I'm looking for suggestions for the most logical order to read Tolkien's works after RotK. Thanks in advance, and anyone whom I didn't ping, please feel free to reply.

[JenB]

You have read The Hobbit, right? If not you should read that before going on to the other stuff. After you've finished LotR, I'd recommend reading Silmarillion. It's really the only other work that's in finished form, and sometimes all the notes and stuff in the unfinished works get annoying.

After Sil, I'd suggest Unfinished Tales. Yes, they are unfinished, but they're good. Not many hobbits here, but more than in Sil! Then you can read the related works.... Book of Lost Tales 1 and 2 are the original versions of many of the stories in Silmarillion. You really have to read and enjoy Sil to 'get' Lost Tales. Some of them are bizarrely different, very few of the names are the same, it's a real interesting look at the evolution of Tolkien's mythology. One thing you will not want to miss is in Lost Tales 2 - the only complete version of the Fall of Gondolin....

The other things, like the History of Middle Earth series, are not really stories so much as writings about the stories; rough drafts here, Tolkien's notes there. It's up to you whether you find that interesting. I do highly recommend Tolkien's Letters, though. They give great insight into the man... much easier to understand after you've read LotR, though.

Hope that helps! Lovely morning here, perfect for being a hobbit!