Welcome to Episode 17 of DO NOT BE HASTY - I'm calling this one "Sméagol and Déagol". "The Ring went into the shadows with [Gollum], and even [Sauron], when his power had begun to grow again, could learn nothing of it." In this episode of DO NOT BE HASTY, we continue through The Fellowship of the Ring's chapter The Shadow of the Past, as Gandalf re…

Welcome to Episode 16 of DO NOT BE HASTY - I'm calling this one "The Powers of the Ring". In this episode of DO NOT BE HASTY, we continue through The Shadow of the Past, as Gandalf leads us on a deep dive into the history and lore of the Rings of Power! SECTION START: “Ah!” said Gandalf. “That is a very long story.” SECTION END: “But at last I can …

Hey there, fellow travelers! Welcome to The Tolkien Road, episode 381! In this bonus episode of DO NOT BE HASTY, we’ll be considering this highly important and controversial question: WHAT DID TOLKIEN SAY LORD OF THE RINGS WAS ABOUT? We’ll do so by exploring Tolkien’s Foreword to the Lord of the Rings. Or should I say…Fore-WORDS! Indeed, the first …

Welcome to Episode 15 of DO NOT BE HASTY - I'm calling this one "The Fiery Letters". 'Hold it up!' said Gandalf. 'And look closely!' As Frodo did so, he now saw fine lines, finer than the finest pen-strokes, running along the ring, outside and inside: lines of fire that seemed to form the letters of a flowing script. They shone piercingly bright, a…

Welcome to Episode 14 of DO NOT BE HASTY - I'm calling this one "About That Ring, Frodo..." "'It would be a grievous blow to the world, if the Dark Power overcame the Shire; if all your kind, jolly, stupid Bolgers, Hornblowers, Boffins, Bracegirdles, and the rest, not to mention the ridiculous Bagginses, became enslaved.'" In this episode of DO NOT…

Welcome to Episode 13 of DO NOT BE HASTY - I'm calling this one "Sam at the Green Dragon"! "And I've heard tell that Elves are moving west. They do say they are going to the harbours, out away beyond the White Towers.' Sam waved his arm vaguely; neither he nor any of them knew how far it was to the Sea, past the old towers beyond the western border…

In this episode of DO NOT BE HASTY, we’ll begin exploring The Shadow of the Past (Book 2, Chapter 2 of Lord of the Rings), by finding out what Frodo is up to as the lone master of Bag-End, and what is going on in the wider world beyond the borders of the Shire! This section begins with the words: “The talk did not die down in nine or even ninety-ni…

In this episode of DO NOT BE HASTY, we hit the mailbag for your thoughts on The Lord of the Rings Book 1, Chapter 1, A Long Expected Party.And by the way, you guys delivered BIG TIME! While we won’t be able to get to nearly everything you wrote in the YouTube comments, on our Patreon page, and elsewhere, we’re going to hit some great stuff from a l…

"My father bestowed immense pains on the creation of The Lord of the Rings, and my intention has been that this record his first three years of work on it should reflect those pains." - Christopher Tolkien, Return of the Shadow, Foreword In this episode of DO NOT BE HASTY, we undertake our inaugural MATHOMS episode as we explore heretofore neglecte…

Hey there, fellow travellers! Having just completed our 9 episode leg through Chapter 1 of Lord of the Rings, Greta and I are taking this week and next week off as we prepare for our Mailbag and Mathoms episodes and the beginning of our dive into Chapter 2, The Shadow of the Past! I just want to say - I hope you all are enjoying this journey as muc…

"Good-bye now! Take care of yourself! Look out for me, especially at unlikely times! Good-bye!" - GANDALF In this episode of Do Not Be Hasty, we complete our journey through Lord of the Rings Book 1, Chapter 1, A Long Expected Party! After the commotion of the “day after” at Bag-End, Frodo is able to finally enjoy some peace and quiet - until Ganda…

"You'll live to regret it, young fellow! Why didn't you go too? You don't belong here; you're no Baggins - you - you're a Brandybuck!" In this episode of Do Not Be Hasty, we continue through Lord of the Rings Book 1, Chapter 1, A Long Expected Party! With Bilbo having hit the Road, Frodo is left to clean up the mess. He’ll discover that sometimes b…

Gandalf: "Go away and leave it behind. Stop possessing it. Give it to Frodo, and I will look after him." In this episode of Do Not Be Hasty, we continue through Lord of the Rings Book 1, Chapter 1, A Long Expected Party! Herein, Bilbo finally hits the road, and Frodo finds Gandalf waiting for him at Bag-End with an important assignment. Join us! EX…

In this episode of Do Not Be Hasty, we continue through Lord of the Rings Book 1, Chapter 1, A Long Expected Party! As Bilbo sneaks back to Bag-End and prepares to leave the Shire once and for all, Gandalf confronts him about the Ring, and an ugly argument ensues. Join us! EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: - Kaitlyn of Tea with Tolkien - John R - Melkor27 - KG …

In this episode of Do Not Be Hasty, Bilbo delivers his unforgettable birthday speech and shocking surprise, as we continue through Lord of the Rings Book 1, Chapter 1, A Long Expected Party! We’ll take time to consider every detail of his speech, and do the math on the most memorable line of them all: "I don't know half of you as half as well as I …

In this episode of DO NOT BE HASTY, Bilbo’s birthday festivities begin, as we continue through LORD OF THE RINGS Book 1, Chapter 1, A LONG EXPECTED PARTY! We’ll take time to envision the layout of the party field, and consider the variety of entertainments and meals that made it one of the greatest birthday celebrations of all time! This section be…

Tolkien Reading Day 2024 is upon us, and boy do we have a curve ball for you! What do Tolkien and Quentin Tarantino have in common? Apparently more than you'd think! Greta and I watched Tarantino's 2019 film "Once Upon A Time In Hollywood" twice this week, and found some fascinating synchronicities with Tolkien's own vision of fairy tales from "On …