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 Times
Week 107 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Better Late Than… Wandering?
Join The Man of the West as he finishes off the last of the Five Rivers of Lebennin before discovering what Imrahil and Pippin have in common. Learn more about…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 107 - Tolkien Tuesday: I Feel Inclined to Tell Him So
We’re sure you do, Professor — and we hope you did! Join The Man of the West as the Professor calls himself — accurately — a natural niggler. Also, a bottle of…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 107 - Middle-earth Map Monday: About That Beachfront Property…
Join The Man of the West for a look at Pelargir throughout the ages, before we move into Belfalas and the realm of the Prince of Dol Amroth. Learn more about…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 106 - Silmarillion Saturday: Hope Was Renewed
Granted, only to be smashed under the feet of Uldor and his sons, but it was still renewed. Join The Man of the West for another reading from the Battle of…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 106 - First Age Friday: “and Morgoth trembled…”
Join The Man of the West as he brings the Nirnaeth Arnoediad to First Age Fridays as well; the quicker to get through it, I suppose. Learn more about your ad…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 106 - Third Age Thursday: A People Apart
It’s time for an honest look at the folk known as the Dunlendings, so join The Man of the West as he goes back to the arrival of the Atani in Beleriand to draw…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 106 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Calling Count von Count
Join The Man of the West for an unexpected grammar lesson as we explore the names of the five rivers of Lebennin. Or four of them, at least. Learn more about…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 106 - Tolkien Tuesday: Her Dragon is Absurd
When an artist fails to meet Tolkien’s standards, it’s time to call in Pauline Baynes! Join The Man of the West as we revisit the Letters on Tolkien Tuesday…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 106 - Middle-earth Map Monday: Five Swift Streams
Join The Man of the West as he continues his journeys in southern Gondor, moving into the green fields of Lebennin where the people are hardy and numerous…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 105 - Silmarillion Saturday: Utúlie’n Aurë!
And The Man of the West answered crying “Auta i lómë! The night is passing!” Or maybe that was the army of Fingon when they heard the trumpet of Turgon, who…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 105 - First Age Friday: Felt Old Age Creep Upon Him
The Man of the West is wondering who’s behind these episode titles. Tuor leads the refugees of Gondolin to safety before deciding it’s time to sail off into…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 105 - Third Age Thursday: You Shall Be Summoned Once Again
Perhaps this is a reference to jury duty for The Man of the West. Or perhaps it’s part of Isildur’s curse on the Men of the Mountains, as we continue our look…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 105 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Mistakes Were Likely to Be Made
The Man of the West is far, far too familiar with the truth of today’s title, which is actually Tolkien’s explanation for some of the place names in Gondor on…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 105 - Tolkien Tuesday: I Loathe It
Join The Man of the West as we have to carefully dissect and analyze Professor Tolkien’s words to really understand what he’s saying. Or not at all, really…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 105 - Middle-earth Map Monday: The Weed is Better Than I Thought
Good heavens, no — not that weed: athelas, of course. It’s also a quote from Ioreth, not The Man of the West — who is here to take you up into the vales of…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 104 - Silmarillion Saturday: Less Aid Than Should Have Been
Join The Man of the West as Fëanor’s foolish oath bears unpleasant fruit more than 500 years later as we begin our reading about the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. Learn…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 104 - First Age Friday: Both Fell to Ruin
While it is true that The Man of the West isn’t what he used to be, I’d hardly use ‘fell to ruin’. No, that’s just a Balrog of Morgoth and our old friend…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 104 - Third Age Thursday: Black Sails Bellying in the Breeze
We continue our look at the Men of Darkness in the Third Age as The Man of the West concludes his time studying the Corsairs of Umbar. Learn more about your ad…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 104 - Word-nerd Wednesday: A Little Tomfoolery
Join The Man of the West for some different word-nerdery, this time on some English-sounding names that aren’t especially English. Learn more about your ad…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 104 - Tolkien Tuesday: Heraldic Overtones
Continuing our look at Tolkien’s 1961 letter to his Aunt Jane, we find an argument for why a word like ‘argent’ is beautiful even before it is understood…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 104 - Middle-earth Map Monday: The Tour of Gondor Continues
Join The Man of the West as he begins the 14th Series of Today’s Tolkien Times with a look at the region of South Ithilien. Learn more about your ad choices…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 103 - Rude Little Errand Boy
Yes, that’s The Man of the West. But NPB means that to refer to Ilbereth, the secretary for Father Christmas, who writes the largest portion of this second…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 103 - One of the Cleverest Elves
Father Christmas wishes Tolkien a speedy recovery, and explains that he’s already giving away ‘second editions’ of The Hobbit just three months after its…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 103 - A Letter Worth Hearing
Join The Man of the West for the 1936 letter as Father Christmas introduces us to a new member of Team North Pole, and Polar Bear takes a very long bath. Learn…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 103 - Quite a Nasty Outbreak
It’s 1935, and Father Christmas grows concerned about the goblins, expecting trouble with them soon — but hey, elvish magic sparkler spears should do the…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 103 - Frightful Mischief
While The Man of the West is sometimes guilty of such trouble, today’s title refers to guests at the North Pole in 1934: Polar Bear’s young cousins, Paksu and…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 103 - I Enjoyed it Immensely!
It’s time for our holiday tradition of reading from Letters From Father Christmas, this time starting in 1933 as Polar Bear continues his goblin-smashing ways!…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 102 - Silmarillion Saturday: Great in Strength Both of Mind and Body
No, today’s title… oh, you know the joke by now. Join The Man of the West as we conclude our time in Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin from…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 102 - First Age Friday: A Light Was in His Face as the Light of Heaven
Just like yesterday, today’s title still isn’t a reference to The Man of the West — though it’s a bit more obvious this time. No, today’s the day we meet baby…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 102 - Third Age Thursday: Enamored of Evil Knowledge
No, I promise today’s title isn’t a reference to The Man of the West. Instead, it’s time to take a look at two more groups of the Men of Darkness: the Black…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 102 - Word-nerd Wednesday: And Now for Something Completely Different
We step away from the First Age to do a very deep dive on a single word from our Middle-earth Map Monday discussion, and learn more about trees as a bonus…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 102 - Tolkien Tuesday: Other and Duller Things
Join The Man of the West as he begins a look at another letter from Tolkien to his Aunt Jane; turns out sorting through old poetry is better than the rest of…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 102 - Middle-earth Map Monday: How Long Have I Been Asleep?
I’d say about two days, if episodes of Today’s Tolkien Times are anything to go by. Join The Man of the West as he begins the last week of Series 13 by looking…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 101 - Silmarillion Saturday: At Least They Had Window Seats
Join The Man of the West as he spends a year in Gondolin with the brothers Húrin and Huor, only to get left at the airport in the middle of the night. Learn…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 101 - First Age Friday: Word of the Woes Without
Tuor finally brings his message to Turgon; the King doesn’t take his advice, but does allow him to marry his daughter, as we shift chapters in our story of…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 101 - Third Age Thursday: Like a Glitter of Stars
Join The Man of the West for the third episode on the Haradrim, as we look at the actions of the Southrons in The War of the Ring in another of our deep dives…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 101 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Ugly Shaggy Hair, Son of Ugly Beard
No, this isn’t The Man of the West saying his son needs a haircut; today’s Word-nerd Wednesday looks at the Sindarin names of some of the new arrivals in…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 101 - Tolkien Tuesday: I Don’t Know if They Have Any Virtue at All
The Man of the West says the same about TTT episodes, but one of today’s letters sees the Professor say this about some of his poems. Learn more about your ad…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 101 - Middle-earth Map Monday: An Unconsuming Fire
Welcome to the start of the next 100 weeks of Today’s Tolkien Times, with a Middle-earth Map Monday spent in the “window of some elven-tower, curtained with…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 100 - Silmarillion Saturday: The Sons of Galdor
Join The Man of the West as he celebrates his 600th episode of Today’s Tolkien Times, just in time to see Húrin and Huor rescued and taken to Gondolin! Learn…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 100 - First Age Friday: Hasty Jottings
Join The Man of the West as we finally get Tuor’s passport stamped for Gondolin — and we learn a few more things that never made it off the scrap of paper…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 100 - Third Age Thursday: He Did Not Like It Much
Part two of our look at the Haradrim in this series on Men of Darkness covers the long, conflict-filled history of the Third Age as the Men of the Harad find…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 100 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Mist of Fear
Join The Man of the West as he discovers there’s a lot less word-nerdery on Barahir’s companions than he’d expected. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 100 - Tolkien Tuesday: Unmingled
We move on from Tolkien’s beef with the Swedish translator (finally), with a look at another of Tolkien’s letters to Rhona Beare, with this one feeling a bit…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 100 - Middle-earth Map Monday: Saxifrages and Stonecrops
Join The Man of the West for a milestone week of Today’s Tolkien Times, as he starts with a visit to the region of North Ithilien on Middle-earth Map Monday…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 099 - Silmarillion Saturday: A Measure of Truth
Join The Man of the West as he continues this series’ read-through Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin, as Sauron captures a strategic location…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 099 - First Age Friday: Greater and More Lordly
We return to yet another title that could (never) be said of The Man of the West. Join Alan as he drags Tuor through the Sixth and Seventh Gates, only to meet…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 099 - Third Age Thursday: For a Different Purpose
Join The Man of the West as he begins an extended look at yet another group of the Men of Darkness: the Haradrim. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 099 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Baragund and Isildur’s Horse?
Join The Man of the West as he discovers an unlikely connection in this week’s fan favorite Philology Faire… uh, Word-nerd Wednesday. (You heard the music…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 099 - Tolkien Tuesday: A Farrago of Nonsense
Once considered as a subtitle for Today’s Tolkien Times, today’s title is Tolkien’s response to a continued onslaught of silliness from a Swedish translator of…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 099 - Middle-earth Map Monday: Haughty and Ungenerous
Most definitely not describing The Man of the West… right? Join Alan as he begins the 99th week of episodes for Today’s Tolkien Times with a look at the…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 098 - Silmarillion Saturday: So By Perilous Paths
In this week’s reading of “I hope I never have to do that”, we learn about the hero Emeldir and how her actions saved the future of Middle-earth. Also, Robin…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 098 - First Age Friday: As Moonlight Through a Glimmering Mist
Join The Man of the West as we continue our climb through the Orfalch Echor, this time passing through the Gates of Iron and Silver. Learn more about your ad…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 098 - Third Age Thursday: Strong and War-hardened
Most assuredly not describing The Man of the West, today’s episode continues our look at the Easterlings over the last 500 years of the Third Age. Learn more…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 098 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Back Away from the Elvish Dictionary, Sir
Join The Man of the West as he walks through the meanings of several important names from our readings in Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin —…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 098 - Tolkien Tuesday: Presumptuous Impertinence
Often presumptuous, sometimes impertinent, but rarely both: The Man of the West continues his look at the beef between Tolkien and the Swedish translator of…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 098 - Middle-earth Map Monday: How about Making-it-up Monday?
Join The Man of the West as he begins Week 98 of Today’s Tolkien Times with a look at the port that keeps Minas Tirith going, the Harlond — and one more place…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 097 - Silmarillion Saturday: Great Was the Lamentation
The sound of PPP and TTT fans when The Man of the West retires? Ha! Join Alan as Fingolfin meets his fate with courage, and Morgoth gets an owie he can’t fix…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 097 - First Age Friday: No Escape… and No Returning
We continue our journey with Tuor and Voronwë as they make their way from the First Gate up the Orfalch Echor with their guard guide, Elemmakil. Learn more…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 097 - Third Age Thursday: Minds Filled with Hatred
Join The Man of the West as we begin a long look at another group of Men of Darkness; from Bór and Ulfang’s arrival in the First Age, the Easterlings and Edain…