The Quenta-Silmarillion
 

Okay, I am a wee bit confused about the Quenta Silm sets...are the unfinished tales I and II the first two in that series of books?

-Manelwen

The Silmarillion is the edited version of the tales. Unfinished Tales provides some longer versions of parts of the narrative, particularly the tales of Turin and Tuor's coming to Gondolin, as well as other materials. The HoME series (12 books) which begins with the Book of Lost Tales I and II, show the evolution of Tolkien's writings about Middle Earth from the earliest drafts dating to 1918 or so through his latest essays and writings. Start with the Silmarillion, then move on to Unfinished Tales before you venture into HoME.