Today's Tolkien Times

Week 104 - Tolkien Tuesday: Heraldic Overtones

06 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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 u...

Week 104 - Middle-earth Map Monday: The Tour of Gondor Continues

05 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Week 103 - Rude Little Errand Boy

20 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Week 103 - One of the Cleverest Elves

19 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Father Christmas wishes Tolkien a speedy recovery, and explains that he’s already giving away ‘second editions’ of The Hobbit just three months ...

Week 103 - A Letter Worth Hearing

18 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ba...

Week 103 - Quite a Nasty Outbreak

17 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s 1935, and Father Christmas grows concerned about the goblins, expecting trouble with them soon — but hey, elvish magic sparkler spears should...

Week 103 - Frightful Mischief

16 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 cousin...

Week 103 - I Enjoyed it Immensely!

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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-sma...

Week 102 - Silmarillion Saturday: Great in Strength Both of Mind and Body

06 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Fing...

Week 102 - First Age Friday: A Light Was in His Face as the Light of Heaven

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Week 102 - Third Age Thursday: Enamored of Evil Knowledge

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Darknes...

Week 102 - Word-nerd Wednesday: And Now for Something Completely Different

03 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 b...

Week 102 - Tolkien Tuesday: Other and Duller Things

02 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Week 102 - Middle-earth Map Monday: How Long Have I Been Asleep?

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Week 101 - Silmarillion Saturday: At Least They Had Window Seats

29 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Week 101 - First Age Friday: Word of the Woes Without

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 s...

Week 101 - Third Age Thursday: Like a Glitter of Stars

27 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 de...

Week 101 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Ugly Shaggy Hair, Son of Ugly Beard

26 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 arri...

Week 101 - Tolkien Tuesday: I Don’t Know if They Have Any Virtue at All

25 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ab...

Week 101 - Middle-earth Map Monday: An Unconsuming Fire

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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, curt...

Week 100 - Silmarillion Saturday: The Sons of Galdor

22 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Gondo...

Week 100 - First Age Friday: Hasty Jottings

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Week 100 - Third Age Thursday: He Did Not Like It Much

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Har...

Week 100 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Mist of Fear

19 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ch...

Week 100 - Tolkien Tuesday: Unmingled

18 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 fe...

Week 100 - Middle-earth Map Monday: Saxifrages and Stonecrops

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Ma...

Week 099 - Silmarillion Saturday: A Measure of Truth

15 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 strategi...

Week 099 - First Age Friday: Greater and More Lordly

14 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Week 099 - Third Age Thursday: For a Different Purpose

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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. Vi...

Week 099 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Baragund and Isildur’s Horse?

12 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Week 099 - Tolkien Tuesday: A Farrago of Nonsense

11 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Swedis...

Week 099 - Middle-earth Map Monday: Haughty and Ungenerous

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Week 098 - Silmarillion Saturday: So By Perilous Paths

08 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Week 098 - First Age Friday: As Moonlight Through a Glimmering Mist

07 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Week 098 - Third Age Thursday: Strong and War-hardened

06 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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. L...

Week 098 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Back Away from the Elvish Dictionary, Sir

05 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Fin...

Week 098 - Tolkien Tuesday: Presumptuous Impertinence

04 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Often presumptuous, sometimes impertinent, but rarely both: The Man of the West continues his look at the beef between Tolkien and the Swedish transla...

Week 098 - Middle-earth Map Monday: How about Making-it-up Monday?

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 on...

Week 097 - Silmarillion Saturday: Great Was the Lamentation

01 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ca...

Week 097 - First Age Friday: No Escape… and No Returning

31 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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. Lear...

Week 097 - Third Age Thursday: Minds Filled with Hatred

30 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Easterlin...

Week 097 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Maybe Avoid the Fen of Serech?

29 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as he practically sprints through ten place names from our Silmarillion Saturday readings about the Ruin of Beleriand and the...

Week 097 - Tolkien Tuesday: I Should Make Him Apologize

28 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Man of the West is genuinely sorry; fortunately, Tolkien is talking about a Swedish interpreter of The Lord of the Rings instead. Learn more abou...

Week 097 - Middle-earth Map Monday: I Like Big Butteries

27 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as he relives a Philology Faire of the past while walking you through the rest of the City of Minas Tirith: the Hall of Feast...

Week 096 - Silmarillion Saturday: And Morgoth Came

25 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The war goes badly for the Noldor, and Fingolfin finds himself knocking on the door of the most powerful being in Middle-earth as we continue our read...

Week 096 - First Age Friday: I Should Slay Him

24 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Thankfully, nothing to do with The Man of the West in this title: just an acknowledgement that Voronwë has put his old friend in a hard spot as we co...

Week 096 - Third Age Thursday: Men of Twilight and Men of Darkness

23 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as he begins a dive into a new topic on Third Age Thursdays looking at different cultures of the race of Men in the Third Age...

Week 096 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Fëanor Felt Aggrieved

22 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What else is new, right? Join The Man of the West for a deep dive into the name of the first High King of the Noldor and a few other words from our re...

Week 096 - Tolkien Tuesday: Simple-Minded Folk (Like Myself)

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as we continue our look into Tolkien’s letters and discover just how badly the Professor was irritated by a Swedish transla...

Week 096 - Middle-earth Map Monday: Falling Year by Year Into Decay

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Yet another episode title that could be a quote from the text, or a reference to The Man of the West. Join Alan as he starts Series 13 of Today’s To...

Week 095 - Silmarillion Saturday: All Aboard the Balrog Train

27 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Choo-choo. Join The Man of the West as we discuss just how many balrogs there might have been on the southbound train from Angband and point out how B...

Week 095 - First Age Friday: Forgotten In My Own Land

26 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There’s always a title that could be read as applying to The Man of the West — but this is just Voronwë trying to make sure he and Tuor don’t g...

Week 095 - Third Age Thursday: A Token of Hope

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West for an in-depth look at the original Elessar, and the two backstories of the one given to Aragorn.  Learn more about your a...

Week 095 - Word-nerd Wednesday: But Wait, There’s More

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

More names from Of Maeglin in this week’s Word-nerd Wednesday, including the names of Turgon’s wife and daughter — and of a Dwarven hall that’...

Week 095 - Tolkien Tuesday: Neither ‘Foolhardy’ Nor German

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Man of the West isn’t German either, but he might not have much to say on the ‘foolhardy’ front. Join him as we take a look at Tolkien’s s...

Week 095 - Middle-earth Map Monday: A Thousand Feet Above the Plain

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as he begins the last week of Series 12 with a Middle-earth Map Monday exploring the City of Minas Tirith! Learn more about y...

Week 094 - Silmarillion Saturday: Their Roofless Grave

20 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as he begins a new chapter on Silmarillion Saturdays, Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin. Learn more about yo...

Week 094 - First Age Friday: Blame Me Not

19 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Week 094 - First Age Friday: Blame Me Not Voronwë echoes the words of the Man of the West, but sounds so much better doing it. He and Tuor get oh-so...

Week 094 - Third Age Thursday: Treasure Without Price

18 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At least you know the title isn’t referring to The Man of the West! Join him as we look at the fascinating story behind the two versions of the Elen...

Week 094 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Sounds Like…

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as he looks at more words from the chapter Of Maeglin, and decides to fill in the blanks for a name that Tolkien was was “m...

Week 094 - Tolkien Tuesday: What Have Penguins Done to You, Professor?

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Man of the West looks at some more of Tolkien’s letters, discovering that the Professor is overworked, criticizes Lewis’ “ponderous sillines...

Week 094 - Middle-earth Map Monday: Huge Tracts of Land

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as he goes inside the Rammas that we visited last week to see the wide tilth and many orchards of the Pelennor on another Mid...

Week 093 - Silmarillion Saturday: Knowing That He Was Perilous

13 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West for the tragic conclusion to the chapter Of Maeglin as Eöl does the unthinkable, Aredhel protects her son, and Maeglin’s d...

Week 093 - First Age Friday: Short is the Sight of Mortal Men

12 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At least The Man of the West doesn’t have to do any curvature-of-the-earth calculations in this week’s reading in Of Tuor and His Coming to Gondol...

Week 093 - Third Age Thursday: Yet to Earn It

11 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West for a deep dive into yet another Third Age Artifact in Middle-earth as we look at the nature and history of The Sceptre of An...

Week 093 - Word-nerd Wednesday: An Aberration

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Man of the West fully recognizes his status, but the title actually refers to a possible mixup on Tolkien’s part! Learn more about your ad choic...

Week 093 - Tolkien Tuesday: Not Going Off Exactly as Hot Cakes

09 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Does the title reference episodes of Today’s Tolkien Times? Well, yes… but Tolkien is referring to the Swedish translation of The Lord of the Ring...

Week 093 - Middle-earth Map Monday: Ah, but Which Denethor?

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as he asks a question almost no one else would bother asking as we journey with Gandalf (and Pippin) as they pass the wall pr...

Week 092 - Silmarillion Saturday: To Claim My Own

06 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as Eöl proves he’s exactly who we’ve known him to be all along when he finally gets a chance to meet his brother-in-law,...

Week 092 - First Age Friday: Death Walks Between

05 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as we journey with Tuor and Voronwë through the Vale of Sirion; Tuor wants to fight, Voronwë offers better advice, and Ulmo...

Week 092 - Third Age Thursday: Touch It and Die

04 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Aragorn has strong words for Háma, as The Man of the West continues his look at Third Age artifacts with a study of Andúril, née Narsil, and the Ri...

Week 092 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Well, I’m Back

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as we discover that Sam’s statement upon returning home is a lot easier to decipher than Voronwë’s Alae! Ered en Echoria...

Week 092 - Tolkien Tuesday: Fauna of Mordor

02 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s time to hear Tolkien tell us what he really thinks about cats (or a breed of them, perhaps) — as well as retirement, vacation, and publishing...

Week 092 - Middle-earth Map Monday: Stone for Food

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as we continue our journeys in Anórien, stopping by the pine woods of the Drúadan Foreste, and walking the roads of Stonewa...

Week 091 - Silmarillion Saturday: Knowing His Peril

30 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Did you ever think Curufin would be a good guy? Yeah, me neither. Of course, the bar’s set pretty low today as he encounters Eöl on his way to seek...

Week 091 - First Age Friday: Only For a Moment

29 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as Tuor and Voronwë discover the defilement of the springs of Ivrin, and spot a man with woe graven in his face. If only the...

Week 091 - Third Age Thursday: Homebrew

28 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s time for more Middle-earth artifacts in the Third Age, as we spend this episode diving deep into the Arkenstone, answering the age-old question...

Week 091 - Word-nerd Wednesday: He Said It Again!

27 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as he walks through a half-dozen words from our journeys with Tuor and Voronwë on First Age Fridays. Learn more about your a...

Week 091 - Tolkien Tuesday: Means ‘No’

26 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s time for more subtlety, more reading between the lines, and more inferences… wait, who am I kidding? It’s time for the Letters and some mor...

Week 091 - Middle-earth Map Monday: Less-important Fires

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West for an in-depth look at each of the Beacon-hills of Gondor in this Middle-earth Map Monday, as we continue exploring Anórien...

Week 090 - Silmarillion Saturday: Wholly Unwilling

23 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We may have left the tragedy of Túrin behind for now, but troubling Middle-earth moments continue as Eöl stalks, manipulates, coerces, and finally t...

Week 090 - First Age Friday: The Waves Hunted Us

22 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as Voronwë concludes his sorrowful tale; now we all know why this year’s family vacation will not be a cruise. Learn more ...

Week 090 - Third Age Thursday: Quite Polite

21 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West for a look at one of the more well-known artifacts of the Third Age: and no, it’s not the lead singer of The Police. Learn ...

Week 090 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Redundant Redundancy

20 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s time for another dive into (mostly) Sindarin words from our First Age Friday readings in Of Tuor and His Coming to Gondolin. Learn more about y...

Week 090 - Tolkien Tuesday: Above Our Measure

19 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as we finish our look at Letter 215, where the Professor offers deep insight on our need for literature and, once again, disc...

Week 090 - Middle-earth Map Monday: Paid Little Attention

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While today’s title could describe The Man of the West’s years in college, it’s actually the narrative calling out a hobbit. Start this week wit...

Week 089 - Silmarillion Saturday: She Was Enmeshed

16 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as he begins the story of Aredhel, the White Lady of the Noldor, and her ill-advised departure from Gondolin. Learn more abou...

Week 089 - First Age Friday: The Cure of All Sea-Longing

15 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as he continues his reading of the story of Tuor and His Coming to Gondolin, as today we listen to much of Voronwë’s tale,...

Week 089 - Third Age Thursday: Beater and Biter

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With the poetry and songs from The Lord of the Rings in our rear-view mirror here on the TTT, it’s time to spend this series looking at important ar...

Week 089 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Voronwë and the Willow-vale

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West for an exploration of several words we’ve encountered in our First Age Friday readings through the story of Tuor and His Co...

Week 089 - Tolkien Tuesday: Among Other Darknesses

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We return to the revised edition of Tolkien’s Letters as we get back to Tolkien Tuesdays for Series 12 of the TTT. Edith’s broken arm and the Prof...

Week 089 - Middle-earth Map Monday: From Erui to Mindolluin

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as he begins Series 12 of the TTT with a Middle-earth Map Monday on the region of Gondor known as Anórien. Learn more about ...

Week 088 - Silmarillion Saturday: The Secret Fire Imperishable, Or Something

19 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s discussion and analysis time as The Man of the West looks back over the last six weeks in the Ainulindalë, answers a couple of questions, and ...

Week 088 - First Age Friday: The Hidden Remain Hid

18 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as Voronwë gets a few surprises from Tuor, and learns that his Spring Break has been cancelled. Learn more about your ad cho...

Week 088 - Third Age Thursday: Tidings Beyond Hope

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Eagles bring a message from the High King of Arda himself as the children of the West sing and rejoice after the ending of Sauron’s realm. Learn...

Week 088 - Word-nerd Wednesday: Unendurable Fate

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West for one more Word-nerd Wednesday walking through the names and words in our story of Túrin — with a bonus pair of names fr...

Week 088 - Túrin Turambar Tuesday: No Lord or Loyalty

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The story of Túrin Turambar reaches its tragic end as Túrin learns of what happened and implores Gurthang to do its job quickly. Learn more about yo...

Week 088 - Middle-earth Map Monday: Fear Flowed From It

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as he continues his way past the Hold of Dunharrow down the Dimholt Road to the Door of the Dead on another Middle-earth Map ...

Week 087 - Silmarillion Saturday: Not All in Vain

12 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Ainulindalë reaches its dramatic conclusion as Melkor gets jealous of the Valars’ new threads and throws a cosmic temper tantrum. Learn more a...

Week 087 - First Age Friday: A Long Surf Glimmering

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Join The Man of the West as we continue our readings in the story of Tuor, wrapping up our chat with the mighty Ulmo before eventually meeting a new f...