Shows / Today's Tolkien Times
Today's Tolkien Times
Get your Tolkien every day by subscribing to Today’s Tolkien Times! Alan Sisto, host of the award-winning Prancing Pony Podcast and Rings of Power Wrap-up, hosts a new short-format daily podcast available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever else you get your podcasts! Listeners get answers on Mailbag Mondays; discover more about the Professor on Tolkien Tuesdays; indulge your inner philologist on Word-nerd Wednesdays; learn more about the familiar stories of Middle-earth on Third…
Episodes
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 017 - Word-nerd Wednesday: The First Elvish Word in the OED (hint: it’s not mellon)
It’s time for The Man of the West to polish up those philological skills as he delves greedily and deeply into Word-nerd Wednesday this week. Bonus segment on…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 017 - Tolkien Tuesday: The Great Twin Brethren
The Man of the West starts a new story with this series’ Tolkien Tuesdays, as he opens up John Garth’s Tolkien and the Great War to learn about the ‘immortal…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 017 - Mailbag Monday: Tulkas, Eönwë, and Túrin Walk Into a Bar…
Okay, not a bar. A battle. The battle. The Battle of All Battles, actually. The Man of the West opens up Series 3 of Today’s Tolkien Times by answering a…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 016 - Silmarillion Saturday: No Men Allowed - Ossiriand’s Tough HOA
Join The Man of the West as he closes out Series 2 of the TTT with a reading from Of the Coming of Men Into the West. Amlach has some words. Or is it Amlach?…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 016 - Fandom Friday: Dave Brons
The Man of the West welcomes composer and guitarist Dave Brons to the TTT to talk about his prog-rock masterpiece, Return to Arda. Also, questionable decisions…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 016 - Third Age Thursday: Falling Asleep Again
The hobbits are Homeward Bound, as Gandalf abandons them to chat with an old friend. The Man of the West unpacks what Frodo means by “falling asleep again”…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 016 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Counties and Quarters Just Don’t Cut It
The Man of the West brings back some right goodliness of speechraft in this week’s Word-nerd Wednesday as he explores the Shire and its farthings — Boo, Norman…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 016 - Tolkien Tuesday: This One is, Unfortunately, a Pedantic Don
The Man of the West is not a don, but may or may not be pedantic. But one pedantic don had thoughts about the formidable task of translating The Lord of the…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 016 - Mailbag Monday: The Man of the West: Third Cycle of Life?
Join Alan as he revels in being younger than Círdan, at least. The week begins with a look at the oldest of the Elves still in Middle-earth, and another look…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 015 - Silmarillion Saturday: Outta My Way, I’m Harpin’ Here
The Man of the West wraps up Week 15 by joining famous stalker Finrod Felagund as he watches a group of strangers until they fall asleep. Also, a hint at the…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 015 - Fandom Friday: Jess of the Shire, aka Part Time Hobbit
Join the Man of the West as he welcomes fellow Tolkien YouTuber Jess of the Shire to week 15’s Fandom Friday. You may know her better as Part Time Hobbit; and…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 015 - Third Age Thursday: Wine Out of a Golden Cup
The Man of the West continues his visit to Bree as Gandalf and the hobbits catch up with Barliman Butterbur. Also: Barliman’s shocked face. Learn more about…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 015 - Word-nerd Wednesday: There is a King Again, Little Masters
Join The Man of the West as he looks at the etymology of the words ‘king’ and ‘master’ for week 15’s Word-nerd Wednesday. Also, Barliman keeps on using that…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 015 - Tolkien Tuesday: What You Really Require is The Silmarillion
On today’s Tolkien Tuesday, the Man of the West discovers that Professor Tolkien gave the same advice — only before the book was, you know, published. Also…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 015 - Mailbag Monday: Well and Truly Hallowed
The Man of the West begins week 15 by answering a speculative mailbag question about Beren’s greedy little hands. Also, a brief glance at Morgoth and…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 014 - Silmarillion Saturday: Take a Share In Its Hurts
The Man of the West wraps up this week’s TTT with a powerful reading of The Faithful Stone, a story about a Drúg who pours some of his strength into his…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 014 - Fandom Friday: Shaun Gunner, Chair of the Tolkien Society
Long-time friend of the podcast, and member of the Fellowship of the Co-hosts, Shaun “Don’t Call Me Shawn” Gunner joins The Man of the West to talk about his…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 014 - Third Age Thursday: Newcomers and Gangrels
The Man of the West shifts gears dramatically: moving from three episodes on crucial marriages between Elves and Men to Barliman and the troubles in Bree. Nob…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 014 - Word-nerd Wednesday: My Own Later Addiction
We look at a ‘word’ whose meaning is pretty clear to begin with, but has taken a few hits (ugh) thanks to pop culture: pipe-weed. The Man of the West…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 014 - Tolkien Tuesday: Note to the BBC’s Sillification Department
The Man of the West finally gets to that first adaptation he’s been talking about for a few weeks now, and only has time to read some of Tolkien’s inevitable…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 014 - Mailbag Monday: Math is Hard
Or, for our friends across the pond, ‘Maths Are Hard’. The Man of the West begins this week with a question: how many Nazgûl does it take to change a lightbulb…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 13 - Silmarillion Saturday: Unlovely In Looks
You decide: does the title refer to the host, or to the subject of today’s discussion? The Man of the West dives into the history and nature one of the most…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 13 - Fandom Friday: Please Judge This Book By Its Cover
The Man of the West welcomes acclaimed Tolkien artist Emily Austin to the TTT to talk inspiration and illustration. Also, we chat about her cover art for Shawn…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 13 - Third Age Thursday: You Walk In Her Likeness
The Man of the West wraps up a trilogy of episodes on Beren & Lúthien in the Third Age by visiting the Tale of Aragorn and Arwen in the Appendices of The Lord…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 13 - Word-nerd Wednesday: More Words, More Puns
Word-nerd Wednesday sets a new record as The Man of the West looks at 10 words from last week’s Silmarillion reading. Plus, bonus irony for Quenya words…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 13 - Tolkien Tuesday: I Have Not Yet Received a Farthing
The Man of the West looks at Tolkien’s own typically humble reflections on his achievement, and quotes Tolkien to remind you all that The Lord of the Rings is…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 13 - Mailbag Monday: Handsome Is As Handsome Does
The Man of the West starts the week off by answering the question: why does everyone smile or laugh when they reject the Ring? The answer has nothing to do…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 12 - Silmarillion Saturday: Always Marry Up
The Man of the West reads an entire chapter from The Silmarillion; it’s the shortest one about the tallest guy. Thingol marries up, as do Beren, Tuor, and…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 12 - Fandom Friday: Kali from Voices of Arda and Tolkien With Friends
The Man of the West welcomes podcaster and TikToker Kali to Today’s Tolkien Times to talk podcasting and community-building. And maybe to talk about…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 12 - Third Age Thursday: There Is Too Much, Let Me Sum Up
Following up on last week’s Third Age Thursday, we join Strider and the hobbits on Weathertop once more. This time for the future king’s prose explanation of…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 12 - Word-nerd Wednesday: The Pedantry of Popularizing Botanists
Join the Man of the West for this different take on a Word-nerd Wednesday as we look at the word - and the plant - hemlock. Or at least the plant Tolkien had…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 12 - Tolkien Tuesday: We Are Not Quite the Same Men
The Man of the West joins the Tolkiens on their vacation and looks at the concerns Tolkien had with the Appendices and the printers. More perfect Tolkien…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 12 - Mailbag Monday: Far-Sundered Places
The Man of the West starts off this week of the TTT with a… clarification, an addendum, a follow-up on dragons’ ability to carry treasure. He also answers a…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 11 - Silmarillion Saturday: She Was Not Conquered
Join The Man of the West for the bittersweet conclusion of Húrin’s tale as he reads from both The Silmarillion and The Children of Húrin versions of the story…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 11 - Fandom Friday: Happy Hobbit
The Man of the West is joined by published author, filmmaker, YouTuber and all-around amazing person Kellie Rice on this week’s Fandom Friday.Check out the…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 11 - Third Age Thursday: Tinúviel Was Dancing There
One advantage of hosting your own show is that you can cheat a little: join The Man of the West as he manages to get a First Age story in on a Third Age…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 11 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Hot As a Glede
In a TTT first, The Man of the West reads a word on Mailbag Monday and dives into its etymology on Word-nerd Wednesday. Join him as he butchers Middle English…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 11 - Tolkien Tuesday: Fatal Attraction
Join The Man of the West as he takes a deeper look into Tolkien’s process of writing the Appendices, as seen in the Letters and Carpenter’s biography. Learn…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 11 - Mailbag Monday: There’s A Little Black Spot on the Sun Today
The Man of the West starts Week 11 off with Isildur, the King of Gondor Pain, and a closer look at why the One Ring hurts him, but not Frodo. Also: an exciting…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 10 - Silmarillion Saturday: Thrall of the Valar
Join The Man of the West as he continues Húrin’s tale after his capture by Morgoth. You think it was brave to fight an endless horde of Orcs? Try facing off…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 10 - Fandom Friday: Teaching With Magic
The Man of the West is joined by Elise Trudel Cedeño from Teaching With Magic, who has cleverly found a way to use Tolkien — and other fantasy literature — as…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 10 - Third Age Thursday: No Good Roastin’ ‘Em Now
The talking purse is off discussing his future with his agent while the trolls continue to fight — and capture dwarves. The fight continues until dawn as Bert…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 10 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Melodramatic Chestnuts
The Man of the West visits Turkey, Greece, and a 19th century Boston theater to find out the meaning of a word we all thought we already knew. Learn more about…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 10 - Tolkien Tuesday: A Great Deal Better Than I Feared
Tolkien loves the new dust jackets, is pleasantly surprised by the reviews, and stands by C.S. Lewis. The Man of the West reads the 1954 equivalent of ‘mean…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 10 - Mailbag Monday: The Other Shelves of the West
The Man of the West starts a new week of Today’s Tolkien Times by visiting the second half of The Shelves of the West! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 9 - Silmarillion Saturday: Aurë Entuluva!
Indeed, day will come again — but it may be a long time before our featured character feels anything but darkness. Join The Man of the West as he reads Húrin’s…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 9 - Fandom Friday: The Silmarillion Primer and Jeff LaSala
The Man of the West welcomes writer, editor, and Dungeon Master extraordinare Jeff LaSala to the TTT to talk about the publication of his Silmarillion…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 9 - Third Age Thursday: Not Drawing-Room Fashion At All, At All
Join The Man of the West for more villain dialog — this time from everyone’s three favorite trolls: Bert, Tom, and Bill. And don’t forget the talking purse!…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 9 - Word-nerd Wednesday: “Confusticate and bebother these dwarves!”
The Man of the West opens up the OED and The Ring of Words to help shed light on these fantastically descriptive words from The Hobbit. Learn more about your…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 9 - Tolkien Tuesday: I Wisely Started With a Map
Tolkien explains the importance of cartography, expresses fears about hack critics, returns some. very ugly dust-jacket proofs, and promises to not become like…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 9 - Mailbag Monday: The Shelves of the West
The Man of the West opens this new series of Today’s Tolkien Times by answering the most-asked question so far on the TTT: can you show us your library? The…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 8 - Silmarillion Saturday: Trouble in Paradise
The Man of the West wraps up the first 8-week series of Today’s Tolkien Times by finishing the story of Aulë and Yavanna. Now that the Dwarves are a done deal…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 8 - Fandom Friday: ArdaCraft — Recreating Middle-earth Brick by Brick
The Man of the West is joined by Fornad, the project lead for ArdaCraft, a truly massive project creating the whole of Middle-earth in Minecraft! Learn more…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 8 - Third Age Thursday: Antiquated Information
We rejoin Bilbo as he wraps up his chat with Smaug: something he should have done with four fewer words. But it’s not all bad: he’s caught Smaug monologuing!…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 8 - Word-nerd Wednesday: The Bane of My Existence
A quick study of lingustic dilution: or how Modern English has taken a word meaning “a worker of death” and turned it into a word meaning “that’s annoying”…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 8 - Tolkien Tuesday: A Real Snorter
Alan wraps up this first series’ Tolkien Tuesdays with a last look at the pre-publication challenges Tolkien faced with The Lord of the Rings. Titles, maps…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 8 - Mailbag Monday: Dragon Logistics
The Man of the West begins the week with a question about how Smaug might transport treasure. Claws like spears, sure… but what about opposable thumbs? Also…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 7 - Silmarillion Saturday: Aulë, You’re Grounded
The Man of the West wraps up this week of Today’s Tolkien Times by beginning a two-part look at one of his favorite tales in The Silmarillion: Of Aulë and…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 7 - Fandom Friday: Is There Really a Dwarf of the Year Award? There Should Be.
The Man of the West welcome Varking Runesong to Today’s Tolkien Times to chat about Rings of Power, Reddit, and building community everywhere we go, in another…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 7 - Third Age Thursday: Bad Guys Always Have the Best Lines
The Man of the West embraces his inner villain with a fun reading of his second-favorite dragon in Middle-earth, as he begins a two-part passage in The Hobbit…