Which Tolkien child edited and published many of his father’s unfinished Middle-earth writings?

Christopher Tolkien edited and published many of his father’s unfinished Middle-earth writings. After J.R.R. Tolkien’s death, Christopher prepared texts including The Silmarillion for publication.

Christopher had worked closely with his father and understood the manuscripts, drafts, maps, and notes behind the mythology. The Silmarillion appeared in 1977, four years after J.R.R. Tolkien’s death, with Christopher as editor and Guy Gavriel Kay assisting him. The book brought together stories spanning the creation of the world, the First Age, and later histories.

Christopher continued publishing related material in Unfinished Tales, The History of Middle-earth, and other editions. These works often present drafts and variant versions rather than a single novel-like narrative. Editorial decisions were therefore necessary, and the published texts do not always represent a final form Tolkien himself completed.

Tolkien’s other children were John, Michael, and Priscilla. They each had roles in preserving his legacy, but Christopher was the family member chiefly responsible for editing the posthumous Middle-earth corpus.