Today's Tolkien Times

Possibly the worst first date in the history of Arda. Join The Man of the West as Fëanor names the Black Foe and Morgoth discovers what Ungoliant charges for dinner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The two who didn’t even speak until Moria end up sharing a ship across the Sea. Join The Man of the West for the last Friendship Friday of the series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No battle today — just the paperwork behind one. Join The Man of the West for the Marshals of the Mark: who really ran Rohan while the King faded, and a bit of horse-lending that turns up again tomorrow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It only took seven hundred episodes to circle back to the Ents. Join The Man of the West for the Elvish side of their names that we never did. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West for the back half of Letter 247, as we learn where the Ents came from: both on the page and from Tolkien’s own pen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Turns out the express lane to Mount Doom was paved by the Enemy himself. Join The Man of the West for our last Map Monday in Mordor, as the road ends at the Sammath Naur — and the Dark Tower comes crashing down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as the Valar ask Fëanor to break the Silmarils and heal the Trees — and Fëanor does precisely what you’d imagine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

…and a Dwarf dare not! Join The Man of the West on the Paths of the Dead, and Legolas has to tell Gimli’s story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as Grimbold breaks out of the trap at the Fords, and we finally learn what really kept his friend away. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do moose have in common with the Nazgûl? Join The Man of the West for six of Mordor’s darkest names — and the Gaelic word for ‘ring’ that Tolkien swore he never borrowed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West for the first half of Letter 247, where Tolkien frets that some magic dies the moment you visit it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not a lottery ticket The Man of the West would buy. Join him as Frodo and Sam take the one road left to them, and end up conscripted into Sauron’s army. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as Melkor and Ungoliant reach the Trees — and Valinor, which was sung into being, discovers silence alongside darkness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as Gimli describes the caverns of Helm’s Deep with great detail and glorious prose, like… well, like Tolkien. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Midnight, a river of fire, and no sign of Elfhelm. Join The Man of the West as Grimbold makes his stand at the Fords of Isen — and faces a choice between glory and purpose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West for one Old English root, four Rohirric names, and a word that has been galloping through the language since the Eurasian steppe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Ringwraiths would have said “my lord”, but not to The Man of the West. We close out letter 246 today — including some hard truths about Gandalf. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as Frodo and Sam crest the Morgai — and discover the plain of Gorgoroth is crawling with orcs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as Melkor and Ungoliant come down from Hyarmentir, and Valinor holds a party. Moral of the story: hire private security. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as Legolas and Gimli become two-thirds of the Three Hunters — from the breaking of the Fellowship, across Rohan, and into Helm's Deep, where two friends find the same word for what the other gives them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as two loyal commanders disagree about how to fight a battle Tolkien has already told us was lost. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West for six words drawn from the cry that broke the Watchers — and from an older cry, in the dark of Shelob's lair. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s certainly not what Alan’s team members call him. Join The Man of the West as we continue letter 246 and visit the moment that Tolkien calls perhaps the most tragic in the entire Tale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

But not to goblin-town; not yet. Join The Man of the West as Sam finds the way up to Frodo, and the two escape the Tower of Cirith Ungol — into The Land of Shadow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as we go back to where the whole tragedy begins — Melkor slips south to the lightless land of Avathar, and strikes a bargain with a dark hunger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What Fëanor didn’t get after begging three times, a Dwarf gets at first asking. Join The Man of the West as Gimli leaves Lothlórien with three golden hairs and an unexpected wound. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two wolfriders, a two-mile charge, and a horn in the dark. Join The Man of the West as Elfhelm reaches the Fords of Isen, and the Prince of the Mark speaks his last words. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West for a black fence, a shadow that argued with itself, a mountain that watched the wrong way — and the Latin word Tolkien used to describe Gandalf. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as we continue letter 246, where Tolkien turns from Frodo’s blame to Frodo’s wounds —  and the question Gandalf wouldn’t answer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West (who climbs forward, if at all) as we follow Sam in, and up, the Tower of Cirith Ungol on his quest to find Frodo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as the last two sons of Fëanor wish they’d ordered oven mitts, and the Quenta Silmarillion comes to its end. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two peoples, three Ages of grievance, and one wizard who refuses to give judgment. Join The Man of the West as we begin our look at An Unexpected Friendship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as Saruman’s trap closes around Théodred at the Fords of Isen — and Grimbold proves his worth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

That would be a very different book, Mr. Carroll. Join The Man of the West for a look at a river and a lake, six names, and a 1971 BBC interview with Tolkien Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as we begin a four-episode read-through of letter 246 — in which Tolkien defends Frodo, demolishes simple-minded heroism, and gives us the entire argument in three words. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as we approach the Tower of Cirith Ungol with Sam — from leaving Frodo’s body behind, to the Two Watchers at the gate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as the two surviving sons of Fëanor argue the theology of an oath sworn to Ilúvatar, with one simply asking: can we just do a little less evil? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Four episodes, two cousins, and one Man with a regrettable attitude. Join The Man of the West as we wrap up our time with Merry and Pippin, from the road home to their beds set beside the great king. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as we shift gears on Third Age Thursday and being a series-long read through of The Battles of the Fords of Isen from Unfinished Tales: and learn just how close Saruman came to winning the war. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West for a pair of Sindarin words from Shelob’s Lair, and three Old English words from the open horse-lands of Rohan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tolkien’s writing, not mine — though my writing is rarely legible. Join The Man of the West as Tolkien, developing his ambidexterity, answers a reader's questions about runes and the gift of death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No, not the latest hotel review from The Man of the West. Join us as we open Series 16 in the dark, fragrant comfort of Shelob’s Lair. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West — to whom this episode’s title does not refer… usually — as we read the climax of the War of Wrath, and Morgoth finally gets what’s coming to him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No, not me — I’m fine; it’s Pippin you should worry about. Join The Man of the West as we examine Merry & Pippin’s friendship during their time apart, and enjoy their warm reunion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Look, I’m trying to keep things exciting, but… oh, that wasn’t about the show. Join The Man of the West as we conclude our study of the Elves of Rivendell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as this week’s linguistic deep dive includes a look at Estel, and a reminder of the Old English inspiration behind the beginning of the legendarium. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as he discovers Petty Fencing isn’t what you build when you just want to get even with your neighbor, and Tolkien gives a reader a fierce defense of Faramir, Éowyn, and their love. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sure, Gollum, sure. Join The Man of the West as we continue our journey with Frodo and Sam, climbing the Stairs of Cirith Ungol. Are you sure there isn’t an elevator somewhere, Gollum? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clearly not The Man of the West, today’s title describes the sight of Eärendil’s ship, Vingilot, as it sails into the heavens — freeing the Elves from despair, while filling Morgoth with doubt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as Merry acknowledges he has some work to do to catch up to Pippin as we continue our (now) four-episode look at their friendship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices