#jrrtolkien — Public Fediverse posts

Q: What Was Durin’s Crown?

ANSWER: I received the following inquiry in March 2026:

Hello. There’s a thought I had regarding the Crown of Durin. I have seen in the web endless discussions about which constellation the Crown of Durin might be, which is reflected on the waters on Mirrormere. But, could it be possible that it is no reflection at all, but actually a physical bejewelled crown that […]

Q: What Was Durin’s Crown?

ANSWER: I received the following inquiry in March 2026:

Hello. There’s a thought I had regarding the Crown of Durin. I have seen in the web endless discussions about which constellation the Crown of Durin might be, which is reflected on the waters on Mirrormere. But, could it be possible that it is no reflection at all, but actually a physical bejewelled crown that […]

Q: What Was Durin’s Crown?

ANSWER: I received the following inquiry in March 2026:

Hello. There’s a thought I had regarding the Crown of Durin. I have seen in the web endless discussions about which constellation the Crown of Durin might be, which is reflected on the waters on Mirrormere. But, could it be possible that it is no reflection at all, but actually a physical bejewelled crown that […]

Q: What Was Durin’s Crown?

ANSWER: I received the following inquiry in March 2026:

Hello. There’s a thought I had regarding the Crown of Durin. I have seen in the web endless discussions about which constellation the Crown of Durin might be, which is reflected on the waters on Mirrormere. But, could it be possible that it is no reflection at all, but actually a physical bejewelled crown that […]

Nazis demanded to know if ‘The Hobbit’ author J.R.R. Tolkien was Jewish. His response was legendary.

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/tolkien-response-to-nazis-asking-if-he-was-jewish-ex1/

Died this day: 09/02/1973 (b. 01/03/1892) John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was an English writer and academic philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954–1955).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien

#Literature #SciFi #ScienceFiction #books #bookstodon #coverart #bookart #bookcovers
#JRRTolkien @books @scifi @Scifiart @sciencefiction

https://astralcomputing.com

Why Didn’t Sauron Create An Army Of Morgûl-Blade Slaves?

ANSWER: I have been asked about this a few times over the years, although not very often. It’s one of those questions that kind of pops into your mind when you’re reading the story for the nth time. Or maybe you’re reading a blog like this one and someone mentions an item or something and suddenly your mind starts wandering.

I received […]

I got some cool news this morning: my presentation at the inaugural Westmoot in 2025 — titled "Reflections on Middle-earth from a Middle American" — finally has been published in the latest issue of "Amon Hen." Can't wait for my print copy to arrive in the mail.

If you're interested, you can watch the presentation online!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbQohw4tjQ4

#tolkien #jrrtolkien #tolkiensociety #amonhen

Sharing for my fellow #Tolkien folks!

“To many in the Tolkien fandom, #audiobooks are a vital way to explore #JRRTolkien’s and Christopher Tolkien's work. To date… Christopher Tolkien's ‘The History of Middle-earth’ as a complete set with consistent and separate narration for Christopher and J.R.R's voices remains undone.

“Let's show HarperCollins that we have the interest and support to make these audiobooks happen. Share with your friends and communities!” #petition #MiddleEarth #fantasy

https://c.org/NLH9KLzdwJ

Q: Why Were J.R.R. Tolkien’s Works So Revolutionary?

ANSWER: I think people sometimes give J.R.R. Tolkien credit for inventing things he didn’t invent. Tolkien did not invent Elves, Dwarves, dragons, magic swords, enchanted rings, heroic quests, ancient kingdoms, or supernatural enemies. Other writers had created imaginary worlds before The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were published, and […]

Movie TV Tech Geeks #BooksandComics #Books #Fantasy #JRRTolkien 10 Fantasy Books That Are a Masterclass in Worldbuilding http://dlvr.it/TV8ngP

Q: Why Did The One Ring Allow Frodo To Hand It To Bombadil?

ANSWER: I had half-written this article and then had to stop working on it. I left the browser window open but when I came back to it the article vanished. So it’s possible I haven’t reconstructed all my previous ideas and I may miss something in what follows (as I wrote it hastily). I received the following questions in December […]

"Melkor's Choir"
gouache on cotton paper
12x18in

commissioned in 2019
https://www.theartofjkwoodward.com/commissions

#lordoftherings #silmarilion #jrrtolkien #art #fantasyart #comicart #comicartist

Q: What Was Sauron’s True Name?

ANSWER: Sauron’s “true” name must be one of the most popular topics among Tolkien fans who dive deep into the minutiae of the books. When Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli were discussing the Orcs whom Boromir had killed, they pondered what the “S” rune on their helms might represent. Aragorn dismissed the idea that it could represent “Sauron” because “he does not […]

Q: What Did Tolkien Mean When He Used ‘Swart’ And ‘Swarthy’ To Describe Elves And Men?

ANSWER: I have deferred answering this question because of my recent post about Andy Serkis. I received this question in September 2025 and as I process my queue of visitor-submitted questions it was coming up when Andy made waves in the news. I hope enough time has passed that people won’t mind my […]

J.R.R. Tolkien on Fairy Tales, Language, the Psychology of Fantasy, and Why There’s No Such Thing as Writing “For Children”

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.themarginalian.org/2026/08/11/j-r-r-tolkien-on-fairy-stories/

Q: Why Didn’t The Elves Destroy The Three Rings?

ANSWER: People have asked many questions about the Rings of Power. I received the following question about the Elven rings in July 2025:

… why did the Elves keep the Three Rings all those years, instead of destroying them? They had access to Mount Doom for at least the first millennia of the 3rd Age. The Keepers wanted to keep the power […]

Tolkien avec nous !

Dans le podcast Actusf, disponible sur toutes les plateformes (Deezer, Spotify), retrouvez toutes nos émissions sur Tolkien.

Il y en a cinq pour approfondir notre connaissance de l'auteur du Seigneur des Anneaux !

Mettez un peu d'elfique dans vos oreilles !

#tolkien #jrrtolkien #lotr #seigneurdesanneaux #anneauxdepouvoir #ringofpower #aragorn #galadriel #hobbit #gollum #sauron

https://podcast.ausha.co/actusf/playlist/jrr-tolkien

Q: When Does A Tolkien Question Stop Being About Tolkien?

ANSWER: Through the years I receive occasional thoughtful opinions or responses to recent posts on this blog, where long-time readers feel I may have strayed beyond their expectations or – in some cases – comfort zones. Those two areas are not the same (in my eyes). There may be other, unseen boundaries I occasionally cross. Years ago, […]

Rezension: The Mythmakers
John Hendrix veröffentlichte 2024 die Graphic Novel The Mythmakers. The remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien im Verlag Abrams Fanfare. Sie gibt einen Einblick in das Leben und die besondere Freundschaft der beiden Schriftsteller.
https://www.tolkiengesellschaft.de/55820/rezension-the-mythmakers/
#Sekundrwerke #Rezensionen #CSLewis #GraphicNovel #JRRTolkien #JohnHendrix #Mythmakers

Q: Why Were Arnor And Gondor Separate After Isildur Died?

ANSWER: I received the following question from a reader in November 2025:

Why were Armor and Gondor sundered after Isildur’s death, if long-range communications with the Palàntiri was a thing?

Technically, the realm of Elendil persisted until Third Age year 861, when Amlaith and his two (unnamed) brothers divided Arnor into three […]

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022-): Season 3 – Official Trailer

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Q: Did The Mouth Of Sauron Survive The War Of The Ring?

ANSWER: I received this question in October 2025:

Do you think the Mouth of Sauron could have survived Sauron’s defeat?

Therefore, could he still be alive during the fourth age and still roaming Middle earth and represent a menace?

I can see different ways he might have survived. So far as I know, unless there is some letter out there […]

Q: Were The Shire Hobbits White-skinned?

ANSWER: This question was inspired by Andy Serkis’ recent response to criticisms about his casting for The Hunt for Gollum. Serkis, according to Variety and other sources, said that “… I don’t think we will be doing a politically correct just-casting-for-the sake-of-casting-and-ticking-boxes version of the film…” He added, “So, it’s where […]

Pack up the car

None really. I’m not much of a traveler so no book or movie has inspired me to travel. In fact, the first movie I thought of this morning inspired me not to travel and that’s The Wizard of Oz. When Dorothy wakes up in her bed and tells us if she ever goes looking for her heart’s desire again she won’t look any further than her own back yard because if it’s not there, it was never lost to begin with, it made sense to me. Stay home, stay safe. Kind of a sheltered existence, but it works. About the best a book has ever done for me is inspire me to want to travel. Travels With Charley, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. On the Road. I suppose The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and the Hobbit books might have to be somewhere on that list too. Maybe, in a way, metaphorically?, the Book of Exodus? If I think about it more I’m guessing more titles will come to mind so I’ll stop thinking about it now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfo0XBrGgI0&list=RDLfo0XBrGgI0&start_radio=1

I haven't had much time to research answers to the questions that readers submit to the Middle-earth Blog this year. So to help me lighten the load, I've started a new series called Middle-earth Trivia (it requires less research). This is this first post in the series: "Little Known Details About Tolkien Elves"

#middleearth #fantasy #jrrtolkien #lotr #silmarillion #thehobbit

https://middle-earth.xenite.org/little-known-details-about-tolkien-elves/

A couple of years ago I painted a #Mairon to practice composition, and it bothered me that I gave him black hair for sake of creating a striking image, even if I imagine him with fire hair (literally XD)

So here I come with another version of the one and only #Sauron - I hope you like it 💙

#DarkLord #LOTR #Silmarillion #Maia #JRRTolkien #blood

You can find this work here:
- RedBubble - https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/179990460?ref=studio-promote
- TeePublic - https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/90476592-the-lesser-evil
- Threadless - https://wisesnail.threadless.com/

Ny poddmacka ute nu! 📣
Kulturkanon, ful bil, reklam och bullfest. Detta och mer smockar vi in i veckans avsnitt som du icke får missa. Hörs!

Där poddar bor eller på https://tddbpodd.se/427

#podcast #improv #gbgftw #wikistats #fredagsmys #göteborgshumor #skitidet #tadetvackert #TddBpodd #humor #50plus #djclabbe #subarubrat #repmånad #thecallout #kulturkanon #bullfest #siggefurst #köttbullar #anslagstavlan #plaststol #fulbil #jrrtolkien #synnöve

[caption id="attachment_17070" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Why did Amlaith of Fornost agree to divide the kingdom of Arnor with his brothers? Was he acting out of weakness or strength? Here is what we know.[/caption]

The conflicts between various Númenorean factions can be portrayed as clashes between conservative and liberal elements. Is there sufficient evidence to deduce what went […]

https://middle-earth.xenite.org/politics-just-politics/

"One ring to rule them all"

Retour sur ma toute première encre, réalisée à l'occasion du challenge inktober de 2019. Je crois que le thème était tout simplement "ring" alors autant vous dire que la fan de Tolkien que je suis n'a pas cherché longtemps quoi dessiner!

#dessin #encrecolorée #jrrtolkien #tolkien #tolkienfans #onering #anneauunique #leseigneurdesanneaux #thelordoftherings #inkdrawing #inkartist

[caption id="attachment_14561" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien disagree on many details about how Middle-earth’s cultures should have looked and operated. But J.R.R. Tolkien was clear about how the cultures mingled over time. Here is what we know.[/caption]

Q: Were There Any Cultural Melting Pots In Middle-earth?

ANSWER: Yes. J.R.R. Tolkien wrote about numerous […]

https://middle-earth.xenite.org/were-there-any-cultural-melting-pots-in-middle-earth/

[caption id="attachment_14441" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien ask whether the Dead Men of Dunharrow were subjects of Gondor. Popular belief holds that they were foreigners. Here is what J.R.R. Tolkien wrote about their relationship to Gondor.[/caption]

Q: Were The Dead Men Of Dunharrow Gondorians?

ANSWER: Yes, the Dead Men of Dunharrow were Gondorians. However, […]

https://middle-earth.xenite.org/were-the-dead-men-of-dunharrow-gondorians/

Day 1 of the Christopher Tolkien Centenary Conference was fantastic. So many wonderful talks by many scholars and folks whose essays and books are on my shelf.

Many thanks to the Tolkien Society for putting it all together. Looking forward to Day 2, though I'll have to miss some of the later bits with church and other family obligations.

#ChristopherTolkien #tolkien #jrrtolkien #tolkiensociety

https://christopher.tolkiensociety.org/

A memorial I wrote about Christopher Tolkien in 2020 after his death:

https://www.joshrenaud.com/family/archives/2020/01/in-memory-of-christopher-tolkien.html

#tolkien #tolkiensociety #jrrtolkien

𝗧𝗕𝗥 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗲: 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 -

An odd collection, but some lighter reads in a hot month!

#literature #bookreviews #bookworm #tbrpile #tbrlist #paulcooper #riverofink #philliparrington #theserpentsage #alanbooth #lookingforthelost #susanhowe #myemilydickinson #concordance #richardadams #watershipdown #talesfromwatershipdown #noellestevenson #nimona #jrrtolkien #thetolkienreader #talesbeforetolkien

https://buff.ly/3StARyM

The 2024 #TolkienSociety seminar presentations on #Tolkien and #Romanticism are now available on YouTube. #Romantics #JRRTolkien

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoyx2jXs6Le_-nwuXxY7syq1XaKEh7cls

Free event with an online option. This weekend!

Tolkien Society Seminar 2023 – Númenor, the Mighty and Frail

#Tolkien #JRRTolkien #TolkienSociety #Fantasy #Academics #OnlineEvent #OnlineConference

https://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/seminar-2023/

“I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil.”

- J.R.R. Tolkien

#HisAndHearsePress #GriefQuotes #GriefAndLoss #LiteraryQuotes #Tolkien #JRRTolkien #LOTR #ReturnOfTheKing #Funeral #Cry #TheRoadGoesEverOnAndOn
#Bookwyrm #Bookstodon

@mackenzieflohr
#JRRTolkien
#TerryPratchett
#CharlesDickens
#UrsulaKLeGuin
#KurtVonnegut
#SusannaClarke
#EdgarAllanPoe
#Coleridge
#NeilGaiman
#MarlonJames
#ColumMccann
#AmandaGorman
#SirArthurConanDoyle
#RayBradbury
#EmilyBronte
#DouglasAdams
#AlanMoore

I could go on…