Reading Tolkien: A Podcast

twitter profile for Reading Tolkien podcast, and other musings.

[Reading Tolkien: A Podcast @PodReading]

Thanks to @djtaylorwriter for a great discussion: https://t.co/NBC90YGHHy

[Megan Fritts @freganmitts]

People think this kind of sympathetic quality is necessary for good literary characters bc it’s a hallmark of a modernist/realist novel. The problem is that East of Eden isn’t that—it’s an allegory. A really obvious one. And missing that misses the core of the story.

[Reading Tolkien: A Podcast @PodReading]

Drout’s answer is simply to show, in detail, how the effects are produced.

[Reading Tolkien: A Podcast @PodReading]

The Tower and the Ruin exposes a strange critical asymmetry: scepticism about Tolkien is often treated as distance, while admiration is treated as something that needs explaining away.

[Reading Tolkien: A Podcast @PodReading]

Drout's recent book is a complete and groundbreaking 'poetics of Tolkien'. If critics ignore Drout, that's on them, I think. The field is mature.

[Reading Tolkien: A Podcast @PodReading]

Tolkien Studies is often told it needs to engage “literary studies” to gain legitimacy, but literary studies isn’t a monolith...and the traffic can’t all run one way. Rosebury already produced excellent mainstream literary criticism of Tolkien decades ago.

[Reading Tolkien: A Podcast @PodReading]

If modernists and others largely ignore that work, the problem isn’t only Tolkien Studies.

[Reading Tolkien: A Podcast @PodReading]

Reminds me of Hardy

[Thoughts on Tolkien @tolkienthoughts]

“Build me a grave beside the sea”
by J.R.R. Tolkien

[Reading Tolkien: A Podcast @PodReading]

Tower and the Ruin does not, despite its bona-fide publication (Norton) and accessible argument.

[Reading Tolkien: A Podcast @PodReading]

Looking forward to @djtaylorwriter's upcoming Tolkien book. Will be interesting to see how the British writing establishment takes to it. Traditionally they've been fairly Tolkien-averse, but this has a chance to penetrate the castle, as a book like Drout's..

[Jack @Jac5Connor]

Michael Fcking Man.

What possessed Mann to do a true old-time historical drama we shall never know. He never made another movie like this ever again. But man is it good.

[Reading Tolkien: A Podcast @PodReading]

@tolkienthoughts The Tower and the Ruin?

[Reading Tolkien: A Podcast @PodReading]

@CritReadings ...making for a beautiful synthetic reading that is often highly moving.

[Reading Tolkien: A Podcast @PodReading]

@CritReadings RE your comment on the Tower and the Ruin - it's about Tolkien's entire legendarium, not only The Hobbit. If you want to read anything about Tolkien that is fairly recent, I'd recommend this. Drout writes both as a scholar and as a father...

[Reading Tolkien: A Podcast @PodReading]

@SCentralized What's the timeline for this story? They look like Rebellion-era X-wings (i.e. red livery).

[Reading Tolkien: A Podcast @PodReading]

@Andrewnsnyder Oh my!

[Reading Tolkien: A Podcast @PodReading]

Sigh...are we still doing this? https://t.co/gt9pfYmaoR

"moral simplicity" my ass

[Michael Drout @MikeDrout]

Wow! The audiobook of The Tower and the Ruin is an Earphones Award winner for Jan 2026 from Kirkus Reviews. "...A masterful audiobook."

"Drout, professor of English and director of the Center for the Study of the Medieval at Wheaton College, narrates this deeply researched and remarkably comprehensive examination of Tolkien's genius. Drout's strong, sonorous voice is the perfect vehicle for sharing his own findings, imbuing the audio with deep meaning and a full understanding of both his own work and that of Tolkien. Drout explores Tolkien's creativity and his inspiration, which resulted in one of the most adored and respected collections of fantasy writing in the canon. Drout shares his experiences with literature and reflections on how Tolkien's work has shaped his own worldview, and he provides fresh understanding and insight into Tolkien's familiar stories. A masterful audiobook."

[Reading Tolkien: A Podcast @PodReading]

A brilliant summation of his new book, from @MikeDrout :

[Michael Drout @MikeDrout]

I wrote an essay for the NY Times. https://t.co/LsS908YbAJ

[Reading Tolkien: A Podcast @PodReading]

For those who might prefer #YouTube https://t.co/a1uBbSD8Fd
#Tolkien #Reading