What editions of Tolkien books have really good illustrations?

“The Silmarillion” is available in an edition with illustrations by Ted Naismith. See http://www.amazon.com/Silmarillion-Illustrated-J-R... .

For the illustrated “Hobbit”, see http://www.amazon.com/HOBBIT-ILLUSTRATED-J-R-R-Tol... which contains colour and black-and-white illustrations by Tolkien and http://www.amazon.com/Hobbit-Illustrated-J-R-R-Tol... which contains colour illustrations by Alan Lee. There are other illustrated edition available second-hand.

For “The Lord of the Rings”, see http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Rings-Illustrated-J-R-R... . This also has a large number of colour illustrations by Alan Lee.

Other Tolkien books covering his Middle-earth series contain only a few back-and-white maps and charts, except for this one: http://www.amazon.com/J-R-R-Tolkien-Illustrator-Ch... . It is a book about Tolkien’s art and contains many illustrations and I think it excellent.

This book http://www.amazon.com/Letters-Father-Christmas-J-R... contains coloured reproductions of letters that J.R.R. Tolkien wrote to his children pretending that they were letters from Father Christmas.

None of his books other than a few copies of the Hobbit contain actual pictures. I have the paperback Harper-Collins Silmarillion version. I'm sure you can get it hardcover or special edition, but what I'll say is in this book. On the very last page there is a map of the full land of Beleriand (not mentioned in LOTR much) and two smaller maps of Beleriand close-up. Just before the very long index and appendix there's 5 pages of elven and man family trees and the sundering of the elves tree. In the middle of the book there's another map of Beleriand which shows the realms of the Noldor and Sindar (elves). This probably sounds very confusing lol but you wanted detail. The Silmarillion is an amazing book and it actually has 5 parts to it: Quenta Silmarillion (the history of the Silmarils), Ainulindale (the music of the Ainur), Valaquenta (account of the Valar), Akallabeth (the downfal of Numenor), and Of the rings of power and the third age. Another good book by Tolkien is The Children of Hurin. It takes place in the same time as the Silmarillion does. I don't have that book but I know there's maps and stuff in it. The only other book by Tolkien concerning Middle Earth is Unfinished Tales, which is a very confusing read, even more so than the Silmarillion, but it's crucial if you really want to know his world. It goes into more detail than the Silmarillion but is not organized at all, rather a compilation of, uh, unfinished tales. It contains the only published map of Numenor and a few other maps. I don't have this one either. He has some other books out not concerning Middle Earth, such as Roverandom, Farmer Giles of Ham, etc., but I have not read them. Hope this helps.

the silmarilion has great drawings and the hardcover i had also had a fold out map and family/tribal trees...