A Book in Order

Series · 40 books

Tolkein Books in Order

The complete Tolkein reading order — 40 books from 1834–2003.

  1. 01 The Shire (MERP/Middle Earth Role Playing) 1834 Amazon — buy The Shire (MERP/Middle Earth Role Playing) Bookshop — buy The Shire (MERP/Middle Earth Role Playing) ThriftBooks — buy The Shire (MERP/Middle Earth Role Playing) eBooks.com — buy The Shire (MERP/Middle Earth Role Playing)
  2. 02 The Insolvent act of 1875 1875 Amazon — buy The Insolvent act of 1875 ThriftBooks — buy The Insolvent act of 1875 eBooks.com — buy The Insolvent act of 1875
  3. 03 FIFTY NEW POEMS FOR CHILDREN 1924 Amazon — buy FIFTY NEW POEMS FOR CHILDREN ThriftBooks — buy FIFTY NEW POEMS FOR CHILDREN eBooks.com — buy FIFTY NEW POEMS FOR CHILDREN
  4. 04 Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose. Edited by Kenneth Sisam [BOUND WITH] A Middle English Vocabulary by J. R. R. Tolkein. Designed for Use with Sisam's Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose 1950 Amazon — buy Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose. Edited by Kenneth Sisam [BOUND WITH] A Middle English Vocabulary by J. R. R. Tolkein. Designed for Use with Sisam's Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose ThriftBooks — buy Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose. Edited by Kenneth Sisam [BOUND WITH] A Middle English Vocabulary by J. R. R. Tolkein. Designed for Use with Sisam's Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose eBooks.com — buy Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose. Edited by Kenneth Sisam [BOUND WITH] A Middle English Vocabulary by J. R. R. Tolkein. Designed for Use with Sisam's Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose
  5. 05 Sir Gawain & the Green Knight 1955 Amazon — buy Sir Gawain & the Green Knight ThriftBooks — buy Sir Gawain & the Green Knight eBooks.com — buy Sir Gawain & the Green Knight
  6. 06 In de ban van de ring 1956 Amazon — buy In de ban van de ring ThriftBooks — buy In de ban van de ring eBooks.com — buy In de ban van de ring
  7. 07 Angles and Britons. O'Donnell Lectures 1963 Amazon — buy Angles and Britons. O'Donnell Lectures ThriftBooks — buy Angles and Britons. O'Donnell Lectures eBooks.com — buy Angles and Britons. O'Donnell Lectures
  8. 08 Taru Sormusten Herrasta 1966 Amazon — buy Taru Sormusten Herrasta Bookshop — buy Taru Sormusten Herrasta ThriftBooks — buy Taru Sormusten Herrasta eBooks.com — buy Taru Sormusten Herrasta
  9. 09 Bored of the Rings 1969 Amazon — buy Bored of the Rings Bookshop — buy Bored of the Rings ThriftBooks — buy Bored of the Rings eBooks.com — buy Bored of the Rings
  10. 10 Inklings 1978 Amazon — buy Inklings Bookshop — buy Inklings ThriftBooks — buy Inklings eBooks.com — buy Inklings
  11. 11 Of the darkening of Valinor and of the flight of the Noldor from The silmarillion 1978 Amazon — buy Of the darkening of Valinor and of the flight of the Noldor from The silmarillion Bookshop — buy Of the darkening of Valinor and of the flight of the Noldor from The silmarillion ThriftBooks — buy Of the darkening of Valinor and of the flight of the Noldor from The silmarillion eBooks.com — buy Of the darkening of Valinor and of the flight of the Noldor from The silmarillion
  12. 12 J.R.R. Tolkien-4 Vol. (Boxed) 1981 Amazon — buy J.R.R. Tolkien-4 Vol. (Boxed) Bookshop — buy J.R.R. Tolkien-4 Vol. (Boxed) ThriftBooks — buy J.R.R. Tolkien-4 Vol. (Boxed) eBooks.com — buy J.R.R. Tolkien-4 Vol. (Boxed)
  13. 13 Nachrichten aus Mittelerde 1983 Amazon — buy Nachrichten aus Mittelerde Bookshop — buy Nachrichten aus Mittelerde ThriftBooks — buy Nachrichten aus Mittelerde eBooks.com — buy Nachrichten aus Mittelerde
  14. 14 The Hobbit. 2/? 1984 Amazon — buy The Hobbit. 2/? Bookshop — buy The Hobbit. 2/? ThriftBooks — buy The Hobbit. 2/? eBooks.com — buy The Hobbit. 2/?
  15. 15 J.R.R. Tolkien 1987 Amazon — buy J.R.R. Tolkien ThriftBooks — buy J.R.R. Tolkien eBooks.com — buy J.R.R. Tolkien
  16. 16 The 1990 J.R.R. Tolkein Calend 1989 Amazon — buy The 1990 J.R.R. Tolkein Calend Bookshop — buy The 1990 J.R.R. Tolkein Calend ThriftBooks — buy The 1990 J.R.R. Tolkein Calend eBooks.com — buy The 1990 J.R.R. Tolkein Calend
  17. 17 The 1991 J.R.R. Tolkein Calendar 1990 Amazon — buy The 1991 J.R.R. Tolkein Calendar Bookshop — buy The 1991 J.R.R. Tolkein Calendar ThriftBooks — buy The 1991 J.R.R. Tolkein Calendar eBooks.com — buy The 1991 J.R.R. Tolkein Calendar
  18. 18 The Magical World of the Inklings 1990 Amazon — buy The Magical World of the Inklings Bookshop — buy The Magical World of the Inklings ThriftBooks — buy The Magical World of the Inklings eBooks.com — buy The Magical World of the Inklings
  19. 19 The Tolkien Diary 1992 1991 Amazon — buy The Tolkien Diary 1992 ThriftBooks — buy The Tolkien Diary 1992 eBooks.com — buy The Tolkien Diary 1992
  20. 20 The Two Towers [1/2] 1992 Amazon — buy The Two Towers [1/2] Bookshop — buy The Two Towers [1/2] ThriftBooks — buy The Two Towers [1/2] eBooks.com — buy The Two Towers [1/2]
  21. 21 The Lord of the Rings [1/9] 1992 Amazon — buy The Lord of the Rings [1/9] Bookshop — buy The Lord of the Rings [1/9] ThriftBooks — buy The Lord of the Rings [1/9] eBooks.com — buy The Lord of the Rings [1/9]
  22. 22 The J. R. R. Tolkien Audio Collection (Adventures of Tom Bombadil / Hobbit / Lord of the Rings / Road Goes Ever On / The Silmarillion) 1992 Amazon — buy The J. R. R. Tolkien Audio Collection (Adventures of Tom Bombadil / Hobbit / Lord of the Rings / Road Goes Ever On / The Silmarillion) Bookshop — buy The J. R. R. Tolkien Audio Collection (Adventures of Tom Bombadil / Hobbit / Lord of the Rings / Road Goes Ever On / The Silmarillion) ThriftBooks — buy The J. R. R. Tolkien Audio Collection (Adventures of Tom Bombadil / Hobbit / Lord of the Rings / Road Goes Ever On / The Silmarillion) eBooks.com — buy The J. R. R. Tolkien Audio Collection (Adventures of Tom Bombadil / Hobbit / Lord of the Rings / Road Goes Ever On / The Silmarillion)
  23. 23 J.R.R.Tolkien Collection 1992 Amazon — buy J.R.R.Tolkien Collection Bookshop — buy J.R.R.Tolkien Collection ThriftBooks — buy J.R.R.Tolkien Collection eBooks.com — buy J.R.R.Tolkien Collection
  24. 24 Poems 1993 Amazon — buy Poems Bookshop — buy Poems ThriftBooks — buy Poems eBooks.com — buy Poems
  25. 25 The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, 3 Volumes boxed Set 1993 Amazon — buy The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, 3 Volumes boxed Set ThriftBooks — buy The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, 3 Volumes boxed Set eBooks.com — buy The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, 3 Volumes boxed Set
  26. 26 Literary Companion Series - J.R.R. Tolkein 1999 Amazon — buy Literary Companion Series - J.R.R. Tolkein Bookshop — buy Literary Companion Series - J.R.R. Tolkein ThriftBooks — buy Literary Companion Series - J.R.R. Tolkein eBooks.com — buy Literary Companion Series - J.R.R. Tolkein
  27. 27 Recovery and transcendence for the contemporary mythmaker the spiritual dimension in the works of J.R.R. Tolkein 2000 Amazon — buy Recovery and transcendence for the contemporary mythmaker the spiritual dimension in the works of J.R.R. Tolkein Bookshop — buy Recovery and transcendence for the contemporary mythmaker the spiritual dimension in the works of J.R.R. Tolkein ThriftBooks — buy Recovery and transcendence for the contemporary mythmaker the spiritual dimension in the works of J.R.R. Tolkein eBooks.com — buy Recovery and transcendence for the contemporary mythmaker the spiritual dimension in the works of J.R.R. Tolkein
  28. 28 The 12 rings of leadership 2001 Amazon — buy The 12 rings of leadership Bookshop — buy The 12 rings of leadership ThriftBooks — buy The 12 rings of leadership eBooks.com — buy The 12 rings of leadership
  29. 29 The Ring Goes East 2001 Amazon — buy The Ring Goes East Bookshop — buy The Ring Goes East ThriftBooks — buy The Ring Goes East eBooks.com — buy The Ring Goes East
  30. 30 Master of the Rings 2002 Amazon — buy Master of the Rings Bookshop — buy Master of the Rings ThriftBooks — buy Master of the Rings eBooks.com — buy Master of the Rings
  31. 31 Die Sagen von Mittelerde 2002 Amazon — buy Die Sagen von Mittelerde Bookshop — buy Die Sagen von Mittelerde ThriftBooks — buy Die Sagen von Mittelerde eBooks.com — buy Die Sagen von Mittelerde
  32. 32 A Tolkien Miscellany 2002 Amazon — buy A Tolkien Miscellany Bookshop — buy A Tolkien Miscellany ThriftBooks — buy A Tolkien Miscellany eBooks.com — buy A Tolkien Miscellany
  33. 33 The " Lord of the Rings " Jigsaw Book 2002 Amazon — buy The " Lord of the Rings " Jigsaw Book Bookshop — buy The " Lord of the Rings " Jigsaw Book ThriftBooks — buy The " Lord of the Rings " Jigsaw Book eBooks.com — buy The " Lord of the Rings " Jigsaw Book
  34. 34 The Lord of the Rings, Part 1 2002 Amazon — buy The Lord of the Rings, Part 1 Bookshop — buy The Lord of the Rings, Part 1 ThriftBooks — buy The Lord of the Rings, Part 1 eBooks.com — buy The Lord of the Rings, Part 1
  35. 35 반지의제왕 2002 Amazon — buy 반지의제왕 ThriftBooks — buy 반지의제왕 eBooks.com — buy 반지의제왕
  36. 36 Works (Farmer Giles of Ham / Hobbit / Leaf by Niggle / Smith of Wootton Major) 2002 Amazon — buy Works (Farmer Giles of Ham / Hobbit / Leaf by Niggle / Smith of Wootton Major) Bookshop — buy Works (Farmer Giles of Ham / Hobbit / Leaf by Niggle / Smith of Wootton Major) ThriftBooks — buy Works (Farmer Giles of Ham / Hobbit / Leaf by Niggle / Smith of Wootton Major) eBooks.com — buy Works (Farmer Giles of Ham / Hobbit / Leaf by Niggle / Smith of Wootton Major)
  37. 37 A Hidden presence 2003 Amazon — buy A Hidden presence ThriftBooks — buy A Hidden presence eBooks.com — buy A Hidden presence
  38. 38 Alchemy in Middle-Earth 2003 Amazon — buy Alchemy in Middle-Earth Bookshop — buy Alchemy in Middle-Earth ThriftBooks — buy Alchemy in Middle-Earth eBooks.com — buy Alchemy in Middle-Earth
  39. 39 The Lord of the Rings 2003 Amazon — buy The Lord of the Rings Bookshop — buy The Lord of the Rings ThriftBooks — buy The Lord of the Rings eBooks.com — buy The Lord of the Rings
  40. 40 Tolkien Diary 2004 2003 Amazon — buy Tolkien Diary 2004 Bookshop — buy Tolkien Diary 2004 ThriftBooks — buy Tolkien Diary 2004 eBooks.com — buy Tolkien Diary 2004

Reading tracker

Track your progress through Tolkein

Tick books off as you read them — your progress is saved on this device. Print it for a paper checklist, or save it as a PDF.

Read# TitleYear Date finished
1 The Shire (MERP/Middle Earth Role Playing) 1834
2 The Insolvent act of 1875 1875
3 FIFTY NEW POEMS FOR CHILDREN 1924
4 Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose. Edited by Kenneth Sisam [BOUND WITH] A Middle English Vocabulary by J. R. R. Tolkein. Designed for Use with Sisam's Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose 1950
5 Sir Gawain & the Green Knight 1955
6 In de ban van de ring 1956
7 Angles and Britons. O'Donnell Lectures 1963
8 Taru Sormusten Herrasta 1966
9 Bored of the Rings 1969
10 Inklings 1978
11 Of the darkening of Valinor and of the flight of the Noldor from The silmarillion 1978
12 J.R.R. Tolkien-4 Vol. (Boxed) 1981
13 Nachrichten aus Mittelerde 1983
14 The Hobbit. 2/? 1984
15 J.R.R. Tolkien 1987
16 The 1990 J.R.R. Tolkein Calend 1989
17 The 1991 J.R.R. Tolkein Calendar 1990
18 The Magical World of the Inklings 1990
19 The Tolkien Diary 1992 1991
20 The Two Towers [1/2] 1992
21 The Lord of the Rings [1/9] 1992
22 The J. R. R. Tolkien Audio Collection (Adventures of Tom Bombadil / Hobbit / Lord of the Rings / Road Goes Ever On / The Silmarillion) 1992
23 J.R.R.Tolkien Collection 1992
24 Poems 1993
25 The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, 3 Volumes boxed Set 1993
26 Literary Companion Series - J.R.R. Tolkein 1999
27 Recovery and transcendence for the contemporary mythmaker the spiritual dimension in the works of J.R.R. Tolkein 2000
28 The 12 rings of leadership 2001
29 The Ring Goes East 2001
30 Master of the Rings 2002
31 Die Sagen von Mittelerde 2002
32 A Tolkien Miscellany 2002
33 The " Lord of the Rings " Jigsaw Book 2002
34 The Lord of the Rings, Part 1 2002
35 반지의제왕 2002
36 Works (Farmer Giles of Ham / Hobbit / Leaf by Niggle / Smith of Wootton Major) 2002
37 A Hidden presence 2003
38 Alchemy in Middle-Earth 2003
39 The Lord of the Rings 2003
40 Tolkien Diary 2004 2003

Tolkein reading order — abookinorder.com

Where to start

Begin with The Shire (MERP/Middle Earth Role Playing) (1834). The list above follows publication order, which is how most readers approach Tolkein — later books assume you know what happened in earlier ones.

Frequently asked

How many Tolkein books are there?

40 to date, spanning 1834–2003.

What is the newest Tolkein book?

Tolkien Diary 2004, published in 2003.