# Is "The Book of Lost Tales, Part One (History of Middle-earth vol. 1)" by J.R.R. Tolkien a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Book of Lost Tales, Part One (History of Middle-earth vol. 1) by J.R.R. Tolkien (George Allen & Unwin, 1983) is identified by: Edited by Christopher Tolkien. UK Allen & Unwin 1983 is the true first; the US Houghton Mifflin edition followed in February 1984.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Edited by Christopher Tolkien
- UK first impression, George Allen & Unwin, 1983; copyright page states first publication in 1983 with no later impression noted
- Publisher imprint reads George Allen & Unwin
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | J.R.R. Tolkien |
| Publisher | George Allen & Unwin |
| Year | 1983 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Edited by Christopher Tolkien |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Edited by Christopher Tolkien. UK first impression, George Allen & Unwin, 1983; copyright page states first publication in 1983 with no later impression noted.

## Is this the true first?
UK Allen & Unwin 1983 is the true first; the US Houghton Mifflin edition followed in February 1984.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Book-club issues and later printings exist; a first impression states first publication in 1983 with no additional impression line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Book of Lost Tales, Part One (History of Middle-earth vol. 1)* by J.R.R. Tolkien a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-book-of-lost-tales-part-one-history-of-middle-earth-vol
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.