The Silmarillion and Lost Tales

[Legolas6000]

I have just recently purchased The Silmarilion. But I heard that the books The Lost Tales are ther first silmarillion. What does that mean? And should I read one before the other?

[Ñólendil]

No one should read the Book of Lost Tales who has not already read The Silmarillion. The Book of Lost Tales was the earlier mythology, The Silmarillion 'evolved' from it. The Sil. has been published as a story by the author's son (according to the author's wishes; Christopher Tolkien was supposed to put his father's writings on the Sil together and publish them, in the event of J. R. R. Tolkien's death), the Book of Lost Tales has only been published as a study, in the first two Volumes of the History of Middle-earth series. The Silmarillion has also been published in this fashion, you can read The History of The Silmarillion by purchasing Morgoth's Ring and The War of the Jewels, Volumes X and XI (respectively) of the History of the Middle-earth (HoMe).

You're quite safe just sticking with The Silmarillion as published. I haven't myself read much of Lost Tales.