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 067 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Ainur We Have Heard on High
The Man of the West begins an 8-week look at the names of the Valar and Maiar — beginning with those exact words, actually. Learn more about your ad choices…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 067 - Tolkien Tuesday: At the End of the Sixth Age
Tolkien tells us that the Fall of Barad-dûr was about 6000 years ago as The Man of the West continues his run through the Letters on Tolkien Tuesdays. Learn…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 067 - Middle-earth Map Monday: And I Mean ALL the Languages
Join The Man of the West as he begins Series 9 of the TTT with another Middle-earth Map Monday momentarily on the meritorious megalopolis of Moria. Okay, we’ll…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 066 - I Smell Goblin Strong
Join The Man of the West as he tries not to imagine what goblin smells like, let alone *strong* goblin. We wrap up this special holiday celebration by looking…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 066 - Properly Drawn Bears
If you’re struggling with drawing bears, Karhu might be able to help you. It’s time for the first part of the long 1932 Letter From Father Christmas, as…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 066 - Paksu and Valkotukka
North Polar Bear’s cousins — ‘fat’ and ‘white-hair’ — show up and immediately cause the sort of turmoil you’d imagine NPB’s relatives to cause. Learn more…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 066 - Polar Bears Get Whooping Cough?
Join The Man of the West for another Letter From Father Christmas as we learn of North Polar Bear’s illness and recovery — and his not-thought-through decision…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 066 - My Real Name is Karhu
It’s time for more adventures with Father Christmas and North Polar Bear as Father Christmas is grateful for time zones around the world. Learn more about your…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 066 - Don’t Be a Silly Bear
Join The Man of the West for a special holiday celebration as we read through Letters From Father Christmas so that we can all realize what inadequate parents…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 065 - Silmarillion Saturday: That Land is Defiled
Join The Man of the West as Ar-Pharazôn is drunk on Sauron’s words, while Amandil makes audacious but hopeless plans, as we conclude Series 8 of the TTT. Learn…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 065 - First-Age Friday: She’s Also a Triage Nurse
Lúthien shows great promise for a career in the medical profession, as she heals Beren — and he thanks her by leaving her in the paws of the best dog ever…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 065 - Third Age Thursday: The World Was Young
Yes, it was actually younger than The Man of the West. Join him for a deeper dive into the Song of Durin as we look at the rich history found in these stanzas…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 065 - Word-nerd Wednesday: But What About Middle-earth?
It’s time for The Man of the West to finally do some word-nerdery on the name of everyone’s favorite place: Middle-earth itself. Learn more about your ad…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 065 - Tolkien Tuesday: Wizards, the Bayeux Tapestry, and Pterodactyls?
Join The Man of the West for a strange mix in the second half of Letter 211 as Tolkien answers a barrage of questions as only the Professor can. Learn more…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 065 - Middle-earth Map Monday: No One Hinders Oromë
Join The Man of the West as we move on from Eregion to study the longest mountain range in this part of Middle-earth: the Hithaeglir, or Misty Mountains, as we…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 064 - Silmarillion Saturday: Torment and Great Wickedness
Just a normal weekend for The Man of the West? Thankfully, no — just a summary of what’s happening as Ar-Pharazôn opens the latest infrastructure project in…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 064 - First-Age Friday: Frail of Purpose, Light of Love?
You underestimate Lúthien at your own peril. Join The Man of the West for more from the Lay of Leithian as Huan once again proves to be the bestest boy ever…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 064 - Third Age Thursday: Full of Light and Splendour
The Company finally leave Rivendell and so do we, as we join Gimli for a rich history lesson in this week’s Third Age Thursday poetry reading. Learn more about…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 064 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Chief Heavenly Lights
Join The Man of the West for this deep dive into the names of four Faithful men in the darkest time of Númenor in this week’s Word-nerd Wednesday. Learn more…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 064 - Tolkien Tuesday: All the Answers
No, this is not a claim of knowledge on behalf of The Man of the West; in fact, it’s a quote from one of Tolkien’s letters that we’ll look at today, as he…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 064 - Middle-earth Map Monday: The Skill and Fame of Fëanor
The Man of the West’s advice to Celebrimbor: never meet your heroes. Today’s Middle-earth Map Monday follows up on last week as we continue our time in the…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 063 - Silmarillion Saturday: He Brooded Darkly
Join The Man of the West as he notes the company that Ar-Pharazôn keeps in brooding darkly, while the mightiest King of Númenor decides it’s time to bring home…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 063 - First-Age Friday: Oaths are For Breaking of the Heart
The folk of Nargothrond finally come to their senses about the Sons of Fëanor, while Beren decides it’s time to part ways with Lúthien, in this week’s reading…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 063 - Third Age Thursday: And Voices at the Door
We have time for one more poem in Rivendell before leaving with the Company, this time a nostalgic and sorrowful set of verses from Bilbo as he sits beside the…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 063 - Word-nerd Wednesday: No More Elvish, and I Mean It
Join The Man of the West for some word-nerdery on several of the names of Númenóreans from last week’s reading in the Akallabêth for Silmarillion Saturday…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 063 - Tolkien Tuesday: Ridiculous Indeed
Once again, a title that could be speaking about The Man of the West but, thankfully, is instead referring to ‘silly alterations’ made for an adaptation as we…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 063 - Middle-earth Map Monday: In Happier Days
Join The Man of the West as we venture south of Rivendell for this week’s Middle-earth Map Monday, with the Company arriving at “the country that Men call…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 062 - Silmarillion Saturday: … And the Havens of Andúnië Were Forlorn
Join The Man of the West as a series of Númenórean kings play a game of “who can be worse than their fathers?”. Except for Tar-Palantír, of course. Learn more…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 062 - First-Age Friday: Flower of Elfland Ever Fair!
It’s time for yet more beautiful poetry on First Age Friday as we continue our read through the Lay of Leithian: this time, Draugluin dies, Sauron shapeshifts…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 062 - Third Age Thursday: Boromir Belays Begging Boon
That’s it, no more alliteration today. The Man of the West reads a bit more poetry in The Lord of the Rings, starting with a verse that stymied Men of Gondor…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 062 - Word-nerd Wednesday: How Many Names Can a Valley Have?
Join The Man of the West as he looks at far more names for Rivendell than you might have expected, and reads a bit about Tolkien’s adventures in the Swiss…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 062 - Tolkien Tuesday: Far More Unsatisfactory
Now I’m just feeling called out; fortunately, those words of Tolkien’s were reserved for the storyline of Zimmerman in Letter #210 as we continue our walk…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 062 - Middle-earth Map Monday: Good Counsel and Wise Lore
Join The Man of the West as he extends his Middle-earth Map Monday visit to Rivendell by an extra week, to look at the role it played in the history of the…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 061 - Silmarillion Saturday: The Zenith of Its Bliss
They just don’t know how good they have it, do they? Join The Man of the West as he watches the diminishing of the bliss of Westernesse in the next installment…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 061 - First-Age Friday: Hungry Like the Wolf
It’s all discord and rhyme as Sauron sends a mighty wolf to slay Beren, but Finrod does his thing instead and we all mourn the death of the First Age’s best…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 061 - Third Age Thursday: Beyond the Wide and Sundering Sea
Join The Man of the West, who’s extending his visit in Rivendell awhile, as he looks at a song that Bilbo describes only as “a song to Elbereth”. That’s like…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 061 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Well, Isn’t That Special
What do Dana Carvey and the Flammifer of Westernesse have in common? Well, you’ll have to check out this week’s Word-nerd Wednesday to find out! Learn more…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 061 - Tolkien Tuesday: Wholly Unacceptable Tampering
While that could easily have been the Professor’s response to The Man of the West’s occasional irreverent jokes, it was just one of a dozen slams in this…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 061 - Middle-earth Map Monday: Smells Like Elves
Join The Man of the West for another Middle-earth Map Monday as we arrive at The Last Homely House, just in time for lunch — and a long talk about the Second…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 060 - Silmarillion Saturday: As Moths In a Light Too Strong
Yearning becomes doubt, doubt becomes secret griping, and secret griping becomes open rebellion as the Men of Númenor begin the long walk to their Downfall…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 060 - First-Age Friday: Friendship That to Death Should Last
The bestest boy ever speaks for the first time, to help Lúthien escape the clutches of Celegorm, an Elf with nearly as many red flags as his father. Learn more…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 060 - Third Age Thursday: Tarried There From Errantry
The Man of the West finishes his reading and discussion of Bilbo’s cheeky poem about Eärendil in this week’s Third Age Thursday. Learn more about your ad…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 060 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Beyond the West
Dive deep into several words from last week’s Silmarillion Saturday reading as The Man of the West explores the names of one mountain, two cities, and four…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 060 - Tolkien Tuesday: The Last Thing that Aragorn Would Have Done
Eat Éowyn’s stew? No, but find you as The Man of the West continues to read Tolkien’s Letter 210, eviscerating the storyline for a proposed film adaptation of…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 060 - Middle-earth Map Monday: Tall and Fair
Join The Man of the West for another week of Today’s Tolkien Times as he starts out with Middle-earth Map Monday and a return to the journey of Strider and the…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 059 - Silmarillion Saturday: All Is Now Forgot
While an accurate representation of the state of The Man of the West’s mind most days, today’s episode title actually refers to the state of all the wisdom and…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 059 - First-Age Friday: The Goodest of Good Boys
It’s time to step away from the sorrowful fate of Finrod in Sauron’s dungeons as we hang out with Celegorm and Curufin (boo!) long enough to meet the faithful…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 059 - Third Age Thursday: A Merry Passenger, a Messenger, a Mariner
Join The Man of the West as he starts his study of Bilbo’s latest chart-topping single, The Song of Eärendil, and learns just how many versions of it there…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 059 - Word-nerd Wednesday: How About Next-to-Last Instead?
Arvedui finds out what his name really means, as The Man of the West looks at his name and other words from our Middle-earth Map Monday episode. Learn more…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 059 - Tolkien Tuesday: But Can’t They Be Very Different?
It’s finally time to begin our long look at Tolkien’s views on adaptation as we start Letter 210 and hear from Tom Shippey on the canons of narrative art and…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 059 - Middle-earth Map Monday: Four Oh Something
Join The Man of the West as he begins week 59 of Today’s Tolkien Times with a deep dive into the deep freeze of Forodwaith and Forochel on Middle-earth Map…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 058 - Silmarillion Saturday: Silver Flame in the Paths of the Sun
The Man of the West gets to read about… well, the Men of the West! The Edain are rewarded with wisdom, power, long life, and a new island home, in our first…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 058 - First Age Friday: A Song of Staying
The Man of the West returns to the Lay of Leithian for another eight weeks in First Age Fridays, beginning with the epic song battle between Sauron and Finrod…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 058 - Third Age Thursday: Just a Bit of Nonsense
Who’s coming up with these episode titles? Today’s Third Age Thursday reading continues with poetry in The Lord of the Rings; this time, with Sam’s recitation…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 058 - Word-nerd Wednesday: She That Has Fallen
The Man of the West begins this series of Word-nerd Wednesdays with a look at several words from Akallabêth, including a few names for the island itself. Learn…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 058 - Tolkien Tuesday: Hasty, Insensitive, and Impertinent
While the Professor continues to make The Man of the West feel called out, the invectives here are meant for a guy by the name of Zimmerman. Tell us what you…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 058 - Middle-earth Map Monday: Nesting Dolls of the North
Join The Man of the West as he kicks off a new 8-week series of Today’s Tolkien Times, starting with a return to a new fan favorite segment — get your maps out…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 057 - Second Age Saturday: Whom I Prefer Above All Others
The Man of the West finishes his 24-part foray into the tragic tale of Aldarion and Erendis as Ancalimë marries, but not for love, and Erendis meets her…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 057 - Fandom Friday: Never Laugh At Live Dragons; Laugh With Green Dragon
The Man of the West welcomes TheOneRing.net’s own resident Green Dragon, as we chat about old Oscar parties and recent Amazon ones. Learn more about your ad…
- Today's Tolkien Times
Week 057 - Third Age Thursday: The Long & Short Of It
We complete our look at the Song of Beren and Lúthien as recited by Aragorn by first looking at what in the world ann-thennath means. Plus a reminder that The…