HoME sweet HoMe?

[Thinlómien]

I started this thread because I have been wanting to read HoME (History of Middle-Earth) for over three years, but have never really started. My biggest problem is starting, I don't know where to start.

I own The Peoples of Middle-Earth and The Shaping of Middle-Earth. The first one I bought last autumn and couldn't read it in normal order (I couldn't stand what Marcho and Blanco did in the 968th version of the story) and read the part concerning Fëanor's sons and such. That's all.

The latter one I tried to read two (?) years ago and stopped because I was frustrated because I didn't know what "gnome" meant. Later, I got to know it, but haven't touched the book ever since.

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Which one of the HoME would you recommend people to start with? Why? Which one is your favourite? Why?

What part of PoME or SoME would you recommend me to start with? Or maybe to leave them alone and take another one first?

All other thoughts concerning HoME reading process are very welcome, including your own experiences.