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 recaps some of the bigger themes. Also, goodbye to Series 11 of the TTT and we’ll see you in a few weeks! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 19, 2025•11 min•Season 11Ep. 528
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 choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 18, 2025•10 min•Season 9Ep. 527
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 more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 17, 2025•11 min•Season 11Ep. 524
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 from our readings on Tuor! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 16, 2025•8 min•Season 9Ep. 525
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 your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 15, 2025•13 min•Season 9Ep. 524
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 Monday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 14, 2025•11 min•Season 11Ep. 523
The Ainulindalë reaches its dramatic conclusion as Melkor gets jealous of the Valars’ new threads and throws a cosmic temper tantrum. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 12, 2025•7 min•Season 11Ep. 522
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 friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 11, 2025•12 min•Season 11Ep. 521
We near the end of our nearly year-long run through the poems and songs in The Lord of the Rings with a discussion of a song that Tolkien says “brought tears to my eyes to write”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 10, 2025•12 min•Season 11Ep. 520
Join The Man of the West for a whirlwind walk through nine names of the chief protagonist (I can’t say ‘hero’) of the tragic story of Túrin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 09, 2025•11 min•Season 11Ep. 519
Túrin finally gets his vengeance on Glaurung, but it comes at a high cost for him — and for Níniel, who has her full memory tragically restored. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 08, 2025•11 min•Season 11Ep. 518
Join The Man of the West as he continues his journey deep into the valley of Harrowdale, this time climbing a steep road and visiting the ancient Dunharrow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 07, 2025•11 min•Season 11Ep. 517
Join The Man of the West as we wrap up week 86 with a reminder that you cannot call dibs on an entire world, even if you are Melkor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 05, 2025•7 min•Season 11Ep. 516
And it’s quite a doom, Tuor, take my word for it. Join The Man of the West as Tuor rolls natural 20s for his loot check, resulting in some special gear. Ulmo stops by to ask why he was so late. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 04, 2025•13 min•Season 11Ep. 515
We take a closer look at the moving song that Sam finds himself singing unbidden in the terrible Tower of Cirith Ungol, all alone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 03, 2025•9 min•Season 11Ep. 514
Join The Man of the West as he explores the word-nerdery behind many names from our readings in the stories of Túrin and Tuor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 02, 2025•8 min•Season 11Ep. 513
We continue our readthrough of the story of Túrin as he finally settles down and gets married — to the last person he ever should wed. Tragedy grows silently as Túrin seeks to find and kill Glaurung. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 01, 2025•10 min•Season 11Ep. 512
Join The Man of the West, who tries to keep his precipices from frowning, for this week’s Middle-earth Map Monday as we head to the valley of Harrowdale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 30, 2025•10 min•Season 11Ep. 511
Ilúvatar has some words for the Ainur — or, specifically, one very important word. We also get a tangible example of SPBMI in this week’s Silmarillion Saturday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 28, 2025•9 min•Season 11Ep. 507
Join The Man of the West for another reading in the story of Tuor and His Coming to Gondolin, as Tuor spends months in the wilderness before swans lead him to the halls of Vinyamar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 27, 2025•11 min•Season 11Ep. 509
The herb-master in the Houses of Healing delivers a “rhyme of old days”, and Legolas sings of the beauty of Lebennin in this week’s exploration of poems and songs in The Lord of the Rings . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 26, 2025•10 min•Season 11Ep. 506
Join The Man of the West for a closer look at a few names from our readings about Túrin, and a surprise appearance by a phrase from our readings about Tuor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 25, 2025•9 min•Season 11Ep. 507
Todays’ meeting of Glaurung and Níenor will lead to tragedy tomorrow, as we continue the story of Túrin Turambar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 24, 2025•11 min•Season 11Ep. 506
Join The Man of the West as we continue our walk through Middle-earth with a visit to Nan Curunír, Isengard, and Orthanc itself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 23, 2025•11 min•Season 11Ep. 505
While the episode title fairly describes this podcast (and, in a way, its host), it’s actually what the Valar saw in the Children of Ilúvatar as we continue our reading of the Ainulindalë from The Silmarillion . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 21, 2025•9 min•Season 11Ep. 504
Tuor finds his way to the shores of the Great Sea and is struck with a deep Sea-longing in today’s continued reading in Of Tuor and His Coming to Gondolin in Unfinished Tales . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 20, 2025•11 min•Season 11Ep. 503
Join The Man of the West as he walks through some of the most powerful alliterative verses in The Lord of the Rings , including Rohirric ‘epitaph poems’. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 19, 2025•10 min•Season 11Ep. 502
Today’s episode title is clearly not referring to The Man of the West, but you’ll have to listen to find out who it is talking about. Join in as we look at the names of Brandir, Handir, Ephel Brandir, Amon Obel, Haleth and yet another of Túrin’s names. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 18, 2025•8 min•Season 11Ep. 500
If only Túrin were right about that. Join The Man of the West as we continue reading the story of Túrin who finally takes the overly-optimistic name of Turambar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 17, 2025•11 min•Season 11Ep. 500
No, The Man of the West isn’t in a hurry and he’s no more talkative than usual. Today’s Middle-earth Map Monday continues our visit in Rohan as we stop by the Fords of Isen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 16, 2025•9 min•Season 11Ep. 499