Who published J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion after Tolkien’s death?

Christopher Tolkien published J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion after Tolkien’s death.

Christopher Tolkien edited and arranged The Silmarillion, which was published posthumously in 1977. The book presents a mythological history of Tolkien’s imagined world, beginning with creation and continuing through the histories of the Ainur, the Elves, and the wars against Morgoth.

J.R.R. Tolkien had worked on related stories and legends for decades, but he left the material in many versions and stages of completion. Christopher selected, organized, and edited the texts to create a coherent volume, with assistance from fantasy author Guy Gavriel Kay.

The Silmarillion is therefore not a conventional novel completed and prepared for publication by Tolkien himself. Its editorial history explains differences in style, detail, and continuity across its sections. Christopher later published extensive additional versions and commentary in works such as Unfinished Tales and The History of Middle-earth.