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These volumes cover the earliest versions of the stories, often written while Tolkien was at Oxford and during WWI. The names of characters and places are often different (e.g., the Noldor are called "Gnomes," and Tolkien's son Christopher contributes significantly as an editor. the history of middle earth volumes 112 pdf free
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These volumes return to the First and Second Ages, showing how Tolkien tried to finalize the Silmarillion later in life. the Noldor are called "Gnomes