Who edited J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion for its 1977 publication?

Christopher Tolkien edited J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion for publication in 1977.

J.R.R. Tolkien died in 1973, leaving behind a large and often inconsistent body of writings about the mythology of Middle-earth. His son Christopher selected, arranged, and edited material from those manuscripts into the published form of The Silmarillion.

The book was published by George Allen & Unwin in 1977. It presents the creation of the world, the mythology of the Valar, the history of the Elves, and major narratives from the First Age, including the stories of Túrin Turambar and Beren and Lúthien.

Christopher Tolkien did not simply copy a finished manuscript. He had to reconcile variant texts and make editorial decisions, so the book reflects both his father’s writings and the practical challenges of assembling an unfinished legendarium.