Today's Tolkien Times

You’ve enjoyed eight weeks of excerpts from his book, Tolkien and the Great War, so please welcome John Garth to Today’s Tolkien Times, as we celebrate 20 years since the publication of his award-winning biography! Plus insights on his new book — Tolkien’s Mirror — and how you can help get it published sooner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To those celebrating, the TTT wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving! Join The Man of the West as he finishes up The Quest of Erebor and discovers the softer side of Gandalf, and why all of Middle-earth is thankful for a chance-meeting in Bree. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ll let Gandalf explore the dungeons of Dol Guldur; The Man of the West will explore its etymology. Observe his shocked face as he learns the connection between the Noldor and dark sorcery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Like so many other students before him, Tolkien wasn’t always entirely dedicated to his academic pursuits. Join The Man of the West as he revisits John Garth’s Tolkien and the Great War one more time to learn about Tolkien’s ‘pure alpha’ and the major change in his, uh, major. Be sure to visit John Garth's website at https://johngarth.co.uk to learn and read more about his incredible Tolkien work...

Join The Man of the West as he begins the last week of Series 3 of the TTT with an update for the holidays before he answers an interesting question about employment opportunities in Middle-earth. Polish up those resumes, folks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’m sure it won’t stay that way, though. Join The Man of the West as he concludes this week of the TTT by reading the first half of the chapter Of Men. Distant Valar, condescending Elves, and Morgoth on the loose: the Men will be just fiiiiiine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes, the big voices in the fandom have things to say too — Alan welcomes the OG Tolkien podcaster, Dr. Corey Olsen to the show to talk about all things Signum, and to put him in charge of Amazon’s marketing for Rings of Power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No, not The Man of the West — well at least not both of them — Bilbo! Gandalf recalls just how disappointing Bilbo was in the second part of The Quest of Erebor. Also, keep old maps and keys for 95 years, just in case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Man of the West returns to his wizardy wording ways this week as he brings you more of the names of Gandalf — and fills in a few unintended blanks on one of last week’s names! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We join Tolkien on his winter break as he writes and stars in his own play that just might bear some similarities to real-life. He is finally allowed to write to Edith and the results are… not what you’d expect. Give it up for poor George. Be sure to visit John Garth's website at https://johngarth.co.uk to learn and read more about his incredible Tolkien work and scholarship. You can also buy Tolk...

Join The Man of the West as he begins week 23 with a list of the top 10 scariest or creepiest creatures in Middle-earth, just in time for… two weeks after Halloween. You’ll never guess what #5 is! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Melkor hides, fakes friendship, almost persuades Fëanor, goes too far, but manages to understand thralldom better than Fëanor. Also, Tulkas is thinking, “I told you this would happen.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Man of the West talks about the new Letters volume — and a massive Guide to even more Letters — with Phil Walch from Tolkien Collector’s Guide. The Man of the West may still be counting the number of Tolkien Tuesdays he’ll get from the new volume! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Gandalf — and the Man of the West — as he relates his own take on “the incident with the dragon” in The Quest of Erebor. From Gandalf’s grand strategy to how seriously Dwarves take their duty, we also get a teaser about our old friend, Bilbo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a wizardy Wednesday as The Man of the West begins his exploration of several — but not all — of the names of everyone’s favorite Middle-earth wizard. No, it’s not that blue guy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Man of the West combines the best of Carpenter and Garth to talk about Tolkien in 1912: from his wet and windy cavalry camp, to his discovery of a wine-cellar that intoxicated him… and led directly to the Quenya language. Be sure to visit John Garth's website at https://johngarth.co.uk to learn and read more about his incredible Tolkien work and scholarship. You can also buy Tolkien and the Gr...

The Man of the West opens up the mailbag this week with a speculative question: what happens to the kingship of Gondor if Aragorn dies at the Black Gate? Well, I don’t know about the kingship of Gondor, but Arwen is not going to be happy about this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Okay, so it’s a great name for a metal album, but it’s also a theme in today’s Silmarillion Saturday, as Fëanor threatens his younger brother, and gets a 12-year time out for it. Then again, if you’re an Elf, what’s 12 years, really? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In what is likely to be the only mention of Taylor Swift on Today’s Tolkien Times, The Man of the West welcomes Silmaremily to Fandom Friday for a wide-ranging talk that (finally) includes some thoughts on Amazon’s The Rings of Power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gandalf explains just how important those “off screen” battles were at the end of the Third Age, as The Man of the West finally concludes his reading in the Appendices on Durin’s Folk, wrapping up with a beautiful example of friendship featuring Legolas and Gimli. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Word-nerd Wednesday takes a look at the name of the river separating the Shire from those weird folk in Buckland: the Brandywine. Is it a pun? Is it a corrupted pronunciation? Is it Dutch? Yes, the answer is yes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Halloween to all the TTT followers — but there’s nothing spooky about today’s Tolkien Tuesday, unless Tolkien “revisiting old haunts” counts. Today, we take a short break from John Garth’s Tolkien and the Great War to revisit Carpenter’s biography to learn about Tolkien’s own Mrs. Doubtfire moment. Be sure to visit John Garth's website at https://johngarth.co.uk to learn and read more about...

The Man of the West starts off week 21 of Today’s Tolkien Times with a question about everyone’s favorite equestrian group: the Black Riders. Specifically, what happens to them after the One Ring is destroyed? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our adventures in “Fëanor, No!” continue as Melkor continues to sow Discord in Valinor. Also, secret weapon stashes and awkward family dinners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Man of the West welcomes your friendly neighborhood linguist, the creator of RealElvish.net and the author of books to help you learn Neo-Sindarin, Fiona Jallings! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices