Today's Tolkien Times

Olwë tells Fëanor that the swan-ships are his people’s Silmarils, and Fëanor takes them anyway — join The Man of the West for the Kinslaying at Alqualondë. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two swords finally drawn together (pencils down!) at the Hornburg: join The Man of the West for part two of Aragorn and Éomer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as Appendix A opens with the only Silmarillion anybody had for 22 years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West for some people names, including one whose name just means they turned up a bit late to the party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West for two letters on the death of C. S. Lewis: a list of mourners written for a daughter, and a grievance struck through for a son. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two cousins, one clearing and no words between them — join The Man of the West for the non-existent family reunion, plus a… slight correction from last week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as Fëanor’s facepalm moment arrives: we’re going to need boats! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new pairing opens with 100 spears, one drawn sword, and a man betting his life on a stranger he’d just tried to arrest — join The Man of the West for Aragorn and Éomer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Isengard falls without a siege, and Gondor hands the keys to the first person who volunteers: join The Man of the West as the tower is empty no longer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West for Hall Week: one Old English word that means both ‘fence’ and ‘king,’ and another that connects Théoden’s mead to your amethyst ring. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Partially describing The Man of the West, but Tolkien couldn’t have known that. Join Alan as letter 250 closes with a confession, a rugby injury, and a grandfather who cannot fathom why anyone finds Anglo-Saxon difficult. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of our patrons asks, “What if Gandalf had survived the bridge?” Join The Man of the West for the answer, plus his first — and last — attempt at fanfic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seven swords, one impossible promise, and a besotted people following Fëanor: join The Man of the West for the Oath. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as Aragorn and Gandalf finish their long friendship without ever saying farewell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as Calenardhon is emptied by 400 years of peace before it changes hands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West for Fortress Week, including a tower whose name means one thing in Elvish and something else entirely in Rohirric — but manages to be right both times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Man of the West hands the microphone to the Professor for the heart of letter 250 — sagging faith, bad priests, and a father’s advice to go find the worst mass in town. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone in Doriath ignores the wisest person in the room — except The Man of the West, of course! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fëanor at the gym? No, just an announcement of the obvious. Join The Man of the West as Fëanor reminds us of his status as Morgoth’s mini-me. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West for part two of Aragorn and Gandalf as the wizard bows to the ranger, and the ranger doesn’t blink. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West for the second appendix to the Fords of Isen, as we imagine a family reunion of Bree-folk, Dunlendings, and the Dead Men of Dunharrow. Awkward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West for Sword Week: the storied blades of Aragorn, Gandalf, Théoden, and Éomer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

True of The Man of the West; also true of Tolkien and his son, Michael. Join The Man of the West for the first of three weeks on Letter 250. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The wisest voice in Doriath speaks and Thingol answers with a shrug. Join The Man of the West as we look at what happens when nobody listens to Melian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as Morgoth and Ungoliant’s terrible, no-good, very-bad first date comes to a screaming end, and Balrogs come to save the day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West as he continues Friendship Fridays with a new pairing: Aragorn and Gandalf. Today’s episode: when not to say ‘I told you so’. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West for Erkenbrand’s inherited authority, Éomer’s promotion that isn’t one, and the invisible career of Grimbold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join The Man of the West for real Anglo-Saxon governance, a forest-word that forgot its own meaning, and a Philology Faire rerun on why Tolkien chose French over ‘Horse-thain.’ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

True for The Man of the West most of the time; only true for the Professor when his hand is giving out. A look at three letters reveals an exhausting fortnight for Tolkien. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Middle-earth Map Monday hangs up its cartography for a new series of speculations: Might-Have-Been Monday. First up: what if Barliman Butterbur had delivered Gandalf’s letter on time? Join The Man of the West down the peaceful road to Rivendell — bad news only for Éowyn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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