The One hundred and seventy-first Roving Ranger

-:- Strange as news from Bree -:-

Life and Works

Jan 19, 1965. Tolkien writes Letter 268 (Si apre in una nuova finestra). on Shadowfax’s fate.
Jan 20, 1983. Finn and Hengest (Si apre in una nuova finestra) is published.
Jan 21, 1889. Edith Bratt (Si apre in una nuova finestra) is born in Gloucestershire.
Jan 22, 1928. Tolkien reads a paper, The Chill Barbarians of the North (Si apre in una nuova finestra), at a meeting of the Newman Society (Si apre in una nuova finestra), in Oxford.
Jan 24, 1972. Tolkien writes Letter 332 (Si apre in una nuova finestra), on his move to Merton and bereavement.
Jan 25, 1948. Tolkien writes Letter 113 (Si apre in una nuova finestra), a long apology to C.S. Lewis.

But I warn you, if you bore me, I shall take my revenge. (It is an Inkling's duty to be bored willingly. It is his privilege to be a borer on occasion). I sometimes conceive and write other things than verses or romance!

• Third Age (Si apre in una nuova finestra), 301 (Si apre in una nuova finestra)9: Gandalf (Si apre in una nuova finestra) casts down the Balrog (Si apre in una nuova finestra), and passes away. His body lies on the peak. The Endless Stair (Si apre in una nuova finestra) is destroyed. [Jan 25]

Have a look at a 1917 photograph of Sarehole Mill (Si apre in una nuova finestra). [Birmingham Public Library]

The Battle of Maldon: together with The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth (Si apre in una nuova finestra) is getting a paperback edition [Jan 29]

Kalevala: The Story of Kullervo (Si apre in una nuova finestra) has just been released in Finland. [trailer (Si apre in una nuova finestra); “the broad strokes of the story of Túrin in the legendarium originates in Tolkien's attempted retelling of Kullervo's tale” (Si apre in una nuova finestra)]

Events & Shows

The Tolkien Tapestries exhibition returns Aubusson weaves Tolkien will be at the Musée Jean Lurçat à Angers (Si apre in una nuova finestra) [April 10 - November 30]

The Tolkien Conference in Zurich will return for its second edition; this year’s theme is: “Leadership … in Tolkien’s Middle-earth” [March 14; hybrid, free registration (Si apre in una nuova finestra)]

The Hobbit at the Stratford Festival has a very short, yet impressive teaser (Si apre in una nuova finestra). [Youtube]

The Rosenbach Museum will be hosting Virtual Hobbit Biblioventures (Si apre in una nuova finestra), starting Jan 26th.

March 25th celebrations are being promoted already - the Lexington County Public Library (South Carolina, USA) is offering a Tolkien Day Ball (Si apre in una nuova finestra).

TolkienCon (Si apre in una nuova finestra) is happening in Prague [Jan 23-25]

Last chance to get tickets (Si apre in una nuova finestra) for the the Austrian Tolkien Society’s Cottage of Lost Play [Jan 30-Feb 1]

The Hobbit will be staged at the Playhouse in the Park (Si apre in una nuova finestra), Murray, Kentucky, USA, in June. [Jun 19-28]

Nominations open for Tolkien Society Awards 2026 (Si apre in una nuova finestra) [until Feb 1]

For all events check out the Tolkien Guide (Si apre in una nuova finestra).

My podcast: A Talk with the Tolkienist [Spotify (Si apre in una nuova finestra) | YT (Si apre in una nuova finestra) | RSS feed (Si apre in una nuova finestra)]

Scholarship & Fandom

My blog, thetolkienist.com, has another guest post, this time from Lukas Ritzel: “An interview with Joy Shannon & Ruth Tolkien: ‘In The Forest Singing Sorrowless’”. (Si apre in una nuova finestra)

Jeff LaSala has While the Orc-crowd Hooted (Si apre in una nuova finestra).

Stephen C. Winter has “A Pawn Did Gandalf Say? Perhaps; But On the Wrong Chessboard.” Pippin Feels Out of Place Amidst Preparations for War in Gondor (Si apre in una nuova finestra).

doutbfulsea has Thin and Stretched (Si apre in una nuova finestra).

The rolling issue of the Journal of Tolkien Research (Volume 23, Issue 1) has added its latest article: "Uruk ... We Prefer 'Uruk'": The Representation of the Orc in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Si apre in una nuova finestra).

Kaitlyn Facista has a charming list titled What does it mean to be a "Hobbit at Heart" (Si apre in una nuova finestra)? [Tea with Tolkien]

Thoughts on Tolkien has Grendel and Grond (Si apre in una nuova finestra).

Merchandise & Franchise

Netflix Goes On The Record, Promising A Full 45-Day Theatrical Run For Warner Bros. Films (Si apre in una nuova finestra) [Cartoon Brew; original interview with the NYT, paywall (Si apre in una nuova finestra)]

Netflix Converts Warner Bros. Deal To All-Cash To Shut the Door On Paramount (Si apre in una nuova finestra) [Cartoon Brew]

Casting Call Goes Out For Young Sméagol (Si apre in una nuova finestra) in ‘Lord of the Rings: The Hunt For Gollum’ [Knighted Media¹; also Aragorn is being recast on “Hunt for Gollum” movie, TheOneRing.net (Si apre in una nuova finestra)]

‘Lord Of The Rings’ Trilogy 25th Anniversary Event Rings Up $11M In Worldwide Box Office (Si apre in una nuova finestra) [Deadline]²

Inter alia

If you ever feel like finding the Tolkien memorial bench in Oxford… here you go (Si apre in una nuova finestra).

Kathleen Kennedy steps down as the boss of Lucasfilm [Wertzone] (Si apre in una nuova finestra)

Holly Hunter Reaches for the Stars (Si apre in una nuova finestra)³ [New York Times]

Keep in mind - Artemis II is soon launching for the moon (Si apre in una nuova finestra) [NASA]

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If you are interested in my other Tolkien-related work please have a look:
The Tolkienist Blog (Si apre in una nuova finestra) : Facebook (Si apre in una nuova finestra) : Bluesky (Si apre in una nuova finestra) : Instagram (Si apre in una nuova finestra) : Threads (Si apre in una nuova finestra) : Mastodon (Si apre in una nuova finestra) - and have a look at all Roving Rangers published so far. (Si apre in una nuova finestra)

As this is 2025 I would like to note that this newsletter is 100% human-made, curated by me, Marcel R. Bülles. This also holds true for everything I write with my blog and here at Steady. Also, the minimum time of curating this newsletter ranges from 8-12 hours every week. Please consider supporting me so I can continue offering the Roving Ranger - thank you.

1. h/t to Will Smith at the Green Lanterns Podcast (Si apre in una nuova finestra). ↩

2. A bucket of your bucket list? Official merchandise via Emagine Theatre (Si apre in una nuova finestra). ↩

3. h/t for the free link to File770 (Si apre in una nuova finestra). ↩