a little orientation needed

[DrFledermaus]

Hi there,

Could anyone tell me the difference between The Book of Lost Tales and The Silmarillion? I've seen TBolT (both volumes) in a store but as well the book The Silmarillion.
Is The Silmarillion a part of the lost Tales?
When did this all happen? Could anyone give me a short timelime of the events?
I'm feeling pretty lost, I would be thankful for any help :-)

Nightwing

[Eruve]

The stories in Book of Lost Tales are the first versions of the legends that came to make up The Silmarillion. They were written in the late teens and early 20s. The versions we read in Silm. are often radically different; most of what got into published Silm. was written in the 1950s after LoTR was published.

I see Michael Martinez has given a much better answer in the Silm. forum, so disregard this one.