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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 047 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Friend, Enchantress, or Flower-daughter?
It’s time for another exciting etymological excursion as The Man of the West looks at a name you’ve heard dozens of times and hopes to bring you something new…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 047 - Tolkien Tuesday: Philological Harpies
It’s time for another visit to The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien as we see Tolkien’s growing frustration with the work of translators and the lack of time to work…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 047 - Mailbag Monday: Very Unprolific
Join The Man of The West as he answers a question about Durin, Dwarven prophecy, and reincarnation with a deep dive into Tolkien’s early drafts. Learn more…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 046 - Second Age Saturday: No Place For Such Joy
Disappointment turns to bitterness in today’s reading of the story of Aldarion and Erendis. The king prefers the company of his sailors, and his wife prefers…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 046 - First Age Friday: And Away, Away She Danced
Join The Man of the West as he continues reading the Lay of Leithian, as Lúthien gets clever and weaves her most powerful magic yet. Learn more about your ad…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 046 - Third Age Thursday: Which Story, I Wonder
Wonder no more as The Man of the West finishes our time reading through A Long-Expected Party as Gandalf leaves Frodo with some vague advice. Learn more about…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 046 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Far Older and More Reverend
No, that title isn’t a description of The Man of the West. Join us for Word-nerd Wednesday as we take a closer look at the Shire-word that often just means…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 046 - Tolkien Tuesday: Bless the Little People!
It’s time for Tolkien Tuesday as we dive deep into new content about The Silmarillion, Tolkien’s academic obligations, Middle-earth maps, book sales, and…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 046 - Mailbag Monday: Excuse Me, Sur
Join The Man of the West as he fails to answer a question for which there is no answer, then speculates what happens after an extended time-out. Learn more…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 045 - Second Age Saturday: A Man Long-sighted
Join The Man of the West for another reading in How Not to Build a Successful Marriage, as the sometimes-happy couple welcome their daughter, Ancalimë. Learn…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 045 - First Age Friday: She Wanted a Treehouse…
When she was a kid, sure. Thingol continues his efforts to defeat Denethor as Best Father in the Legendarium in our next reading in The Lay of Leithian. Learn…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 045 - Third Age Thursday: Fiddlesticks!
Watch as Otho twirls his villainous mustache and laments how he might have gotten away with it if it weren’t for you meddling kids. Or something like that…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 045 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Númenórean Aramotherapy
Join The Man of the West for a look at the beautiful flowers that the Eldar brought to Númenor to celebrate Erendis’ wedding, including one that sounds very…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 045 - Tolkien Tuesday: At Whatever Cost of Sleep
Tolkien offers to pull an all-nighter to mark up print proofs in this week’s Tolkien Tuesday; so long as he still gets to Heathrow in time for his flight from…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 045 - Mailbag Monday: And Therefore Stupid
Join The Man of the West as he speculates on whether Saruman and Sauron worked the same shift at ‘The Forge of Aulë: Miners, not Minors’. Also, if you think…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 044 - Second Age Saturday: Heart’s Ease
Aldarion returns to Erendis’ welcome, and the wedding of the century. The Eldar arrive with gifts and flowers, and all is as it should be. Finally. For now…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 044 - First Age Friday: A Flower That Grows Beneath the Sky
We continue our readings in the Lay of Leithian as Beren faces off against Thingol in the halls of Menegroth. And still, no one listens to Melian. Learn more…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 044 - Third Age Thursday: Hearses at Daybreak
Join The Man of the West for another reading in A Long-Expected Party, this time as Frodo passes along Bilbo’s “messages” to a young social media influencer…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 044 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Maybe Thou Shalt Find These Words
Time for another visit to our Second Age Saturday readings as The Man of the West explores three more words from Aldarion and Erendis. Learn more about your ad…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 044 - Tolkien Tuesday: Make #NotATrilogy Trend
We revisit the revised and updated edition of Tolkien’s Letters and learn Tolkien’s thoughts on piecemeal publication and patronizing reviews. Also, give the…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 044 - Mailbag Monday: The Valar Already Know This Question
Join The Man of the West as he begins week 44 of Today’s Tolkien Times by answering a question about the Valar’s knowledge: who would win Valerin Jeopardy?…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 043 - Second Age Saturday: And Hid Her Tears
We continue our reading through the sorrowful tale of Aldarion and Erendis, as the King’s Heir continues to be of two minds — and Erendis offers to wait one…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 043 - First Age Friday: Love It Is Hath Here Me Bound
Join The Man of the West as he continues his readings in The Lay of Leithian, this time as Lúthien brings Beren home for a chat — and Thingol has questions…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 043 - Third Age Thursday: Well, That’s That
We return to Bag End and Gandalf’s chat with the disappearing Bilbo only to see the old hobbit do something no one has ever managed to do before. Learn more…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 043 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Gandalf, Formula 1, and Firefly
Join The Man of the West for an interesting — if rather disturbing — exploration of word-nerdery as we look at a word used to describe Gandalf’s pestering of…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 043 - Tolkien Tuesday: There Will Be Not a Few
We continue in the Revised and Expanded edition of Tolkien’s Letters and learn that the Professor just couldn’t catch a break in the autumn of 1953. Learn more…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 043 - Mailbag Monday: Yes, With an If… No, With a But
Join The Man of the West as he starts week 43 of the TTT by quoting Reverend Lovejoy to answer a question about Fëanor. No, you read that correctly. Learn more…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 042 - Second Age Saturday: At War Within Himself
Join The Man of the West as he wraps up the first week of Series 6 of the TTT by continuing his reading through the story of Aldarion and Erendis. A time of…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 042 - First Age Friday: Of Living Love and Mortal Pain
The Man of the West has heard your pleas, and will return to the forests of Doriath for another series in The Lay of Leithian. Today’s episode features…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 042 - Third Age Thursday: I Had to Badger You
There is no need to get angry: The Man of the West will continue the TTT’s readings in A Long-Expected Party. This time, Bilbo gets silly, while Gandalf speaks…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 042 - Word-nerd Wednesday: The Greatest Delight of Númenor
Stop and smell the Nísimaldar as The Man of the West dives into some word-nerdery from last season’s read-through of Aldarion and Erendis. Any excuse to read…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 042 - Tolkien Tuesday: Sympathetic Review
We open up the Revised and Expanded edition of Tolkien’s Letters again this series, as we focus on new content about The Lord of the Rings. Today, deadlines…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 042 - Mailbag Monday: Gandalf Was a Rollin’ Stone
Join The Man of the West as he begins Series 6 of Today’s Tolkien Times with a question about two very old people. And no, neither of them are The Man of the…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 041 - Second Age Saturday: Now, And In All Nows
Erendis offers some words of wisdom; will Aldarion hear them? Join The Man of the West as he wraps up Series 6 of the TTT with one more passage from The…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 041 - First Age Friday: Soft a Kiss She Placed Upon His Muted Lips
It’s time for one more reading in The Lay of Leithian before we (hopefully) return to Fandom Fridays in Series 6. Poor Beren is going to have to wait awhile…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 041 - Third Age Thursday: Interfering Old Busybody
No, not The Man of the West: no one would call him busy. It’s time for the last reading of this Series in A Long-expected Party, as Bilbo and Gandalf chat…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 041 - Word-nerd Wednesday: An Andoran Anthology
It’s time for a lingering look at a number of Númenórean names as we examine the etymology of… oh, I’m out of alliteration. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 041 - Tolkien Tuesday: Nothing Godlike or Angelic About Him
We continue our readings in Carpenter’s book, The Inklings, as we learn about C.S. Lewis’ good friend, Charles Williams — and what Tolkien thought of him, too…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 041 - Mailbag Monday: Maybe It’s the Mediterranean Diet?
Join The Man of the West as he begins the final week of Series 5 of the TTT with a question about the Rings of Power and longevity. Or maybe it’s the Oil of…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 040 - Second Age Saturday: Rather is She My Foe
Erendis makes her position quite clear, as she and Aldarion are reunited after his 14-year long journey. Aldarion appears to turn a new leaf, but will it…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 040 - First Age Friday: Like a Silver Jewel Set in the Heavens
We return for another long reading from The Lay of Leithian as Daeron the minstrel plays for the lovely Lúthien as she dances, and a rough-looking stranger…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 040 - Third Age Thursday: Why Worry? He Hasn’t Taken the Vittles!
Old Rory Brandybuck has a point, after all. We return to the Long-expected Party just in time to see Bilbo disappear. Plus, what’s a party without a little…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 040 - Word-nerd Wednesday: We Interrupt This Regularly Scheduled Wednesday
The Man of the West steps away from The Lord of the Rings for a week as we look at a place mentioned in the Second Age Saturday readings this series. Learn…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 040 - Tolkien Tuesday: The Old ‘Dying God’ Story
We continue our time in Carpenter’s The Inklings and talk about Tolkien’s belief in the inherent truths of myth, and the effect his arguments had on Lewis…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 040 - Mailbag Monday: And I Was Meant to Answer This Question
Join The Man of the West as he starts week 40 of Today’s Tolkien Times with a question about what Gandalf knew, and when he knew it. Learn more about your ad…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 039 - Second Age Saturday: Unwilling To Be Bound
Aldarion manages to drive Erendis away from Armenolos even while he’s away for nearly 15 years. Just imagine what will happen when he returns. Learn more about…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 039 - First Age Friday: Starlit Years On Earth Go By
We all know that Thingol married up, but our time in The Lay of Leithian today really gives us some insight as to why. Also, we meet Daeron — forgotten harper…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 039 - Third Age Thursday: Immensely Fond Of You All
True of Bilbo and his guests, as well as The Man of the West and his listeners. More time at A Long-expected Party, a discussion about fireworks and…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 039 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Base 12 For the Win
It’s time to break out your Old English and even Old Norse as we look at Bilbo’s age of eleventy-one, and learn that abandoning the long hundred meant losing…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 039 - Tolkien Tuesday: Things You Can Never Say Again
We continue our study on the Inklings with a look at ‘The Great War’ between C.S. Lewis and Owen Barfield, as well as a stroll on Addison’s Walk. Learn more…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 039 - Mailbag Monday: What About Their LinkedIn Profiles?
Join The Man of the West as he starts week 39 of the TTT with a question about the jobs of the five ‘chief’ wizards. Also: a follow-up on Fëanor confirms our…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 038 - Second Age Saturday: Amid the Coldness of Others
It’s time for the continuing adventures of Aldarion as he finally has eyes for Erendis. As he sails off for distant shores. Plus, the Green Bough of Return and…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 038 - First Age Friday: Or Flee the Land of Barahir
Beren is really good at killing Orcs and other bad guys; maybe too good. Join The Man of the West for his continued readings through The Lay of Leithian, as…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 038 - Third Age Thursday: The Art of Gandalf Improved With Age
Let us all hope that the art of The Man of the West does the same. Join him today for our continuing read through A Long-Expected Party, this time with…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 038 - Word-nerd Wednesday: I Don’t Think It Means What You Think It Means
Well, actually, it does — but it also means a half-dozen other things or so. Join The Man of the West for a look at a word that has offended the…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 038 - Tolkien Tuesday: Frightful 18th Century!!!
Don’t blame me: the punctuation is in the original. Time for another close look at the budding friendship between C.S. Lewis and Tolkien; so long as the former…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 038 - Mailbag Monday: Not the Family Reunion You’re Looking For
Join The Man of the West as he starts the week off talking about one of his favorite characters in the legendarium. And his unfortunate cousin. Learn more…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 037 - Second Age Saturday: Cold is the Life of a Mariner’s Wife
So, Aldarion: maybe, I don’t know, stop being a mariner? We continue with the tale of Aldarion and Erendis, the former of whom is beginning to show some…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 037 - First Age Friday: Of Will Defeated, Broken Faith
We return to the tale of Beren as Gorlim visits him in a dream, and he returns to utter devastation. A vow of vengeance follows, and one bad guy definitely…
Today's Tolkien TimesWeek 037 - Third Age Thursday: Stop Even Pretending, Gaffer
We return to Hobbiton just as preparations for a massive party are underway: we’re reminded of how important the postal service is, and get a glimpse of hobbit…