The One hundred and seventy-eighth Roving Ranger

-:- Strange as news from Bree -:-

Life and Works

Oxford, Physics, and the Day I Saw Tolkien Summon Henry (Öffnet in neuem Fenster)¹ [Conferences that work]

Events & Shows

The Concord Public Library is hosting a Hobbit Fest (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) March 21; New Hampshire, USA]

The Full Moon Players (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) at the Cypress Moon Studio (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) in are doing The Hobbit (Öffnet in neuem Fenster). [Apr 23-26; Sheffield, Alabama, United States]

The Mythical World of Middle-earth conference will take place March 27th (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) [Constantine the Philosopher University (Öffnet in neuem Fenster), Nitra, Slovakia]

Representing the gazillion of pub quizzes this week is Tolkien Trivia (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) in Duluth, Minnesota, USA [Mar 11; caught my eye as the brewery is called Ursa Minor (Öffnet in neuem Fenster)]

And representing all the amazing community work libraries are doing the world over this week: Use a wood ornament to design your own hobbit door (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) [Springfield-Lakemore Branch Library; Akron, Ohio, USA]

MythCon 54 (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) is happening in Oklahoma [July 24-27]

The Wade has another lecture:  "The Ring of Righteousness: Justice in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth" [Youtube (Öffnet in neuem Fenster); March 19]

Please note I am the Guest of Honour of this year’s Lustrum of the Dutch Tolkien Society, Unquendor.

Registration is now open (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) for June 19-21, 2026.

For all events check out the Tolkien Guide (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).

I am doing a global map for Tolkien Reading Day (Öffnet in neuem Fenster), with events from Tolkien societies & smials, libraries and cultural partners, who have Middle-earth in their hearts. Send me your links!

My podcast: A Talk with the Tolkienist [Spotify (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) | YT (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) | RSS feed (Öffnet in neuem Fenster)]

Scholarship & Fandom

John Garth has Tolkien’s land of the dead and ‘going west’ in 1914–18 (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) [Steady; paywall]

Miriam Ellis has Woodhall in the Woody End: A Special, Dreamy Shire Landscape (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) as well as Yavanna and the Hobbits (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).

Giovanni Carmine Costabile has Tolkien's Oriental Sources? Renunciation of Immortality and Fairy Nature (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) and Clive Shergold Welsh on Wagons: Tolkien’s introduction to the Welsh language (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) [Journal of Tolkien Research]

The Bodleian Map Room Blog does mention Tolkien in “Approaches to Valhalla (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).”

Abigail Nussbaum has The Great Tolkien Reread: Fog on the Barrow-Downs (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) [Blogspot]

doubtfulsea has Encouragement (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).

I wrote about last year: 2025 in retrospect: fifteen notable events (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) [thetolkienist.com]

Stephen C. Winter has “I Have Looked in The Stone of Orthanc, My Friends.” Why Does Aragorn Choose This Moment to Reveal Himself to Sauron (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).

Tom Hillman has Gollum said, Sméagol said (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).

Merchandise & Franchise

Sirius Partners with asmodee and Middle-earth Enterprises on Official The Lord of the Rings™ Tabletop Accessories Line (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) [UberStrategist]

Tales of the Shire (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) is coming to the Switch 2 - for free, if you already own the Switch version. [Youtube]

Foes of Middle-earth has already raised more than $600K on Kickstarter (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) [Polygon]

The Hobbit Affairs! - “a two day Hobbit themed mini ren fair” -will take place April 18 (Öffnet in neuem Fenster), somewhere in North Carolina, USA.

Peter Jackson will receive the Cannes Honorary Palme d'or (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).

Lord of the Rings Star Elijah Wood Says He Doesn't Want Anyone Else Playing Frodo 'As Long as I'm Alive and Able' (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) [IGN; Sunday Times]

LotR boardgaming developer Office Dog Games have Why classic board games still matter to modern publishing studios (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).

Game Designer Matt Leacock notes (Öffnet in neuem Fenster):

Due to high demand, Fate of the Fellowship has been out of stock since late 2025. I’m happy to report that it will be returning to retail in late March! [Substack]

A radio station in Johannesburg (Öffnet in neuem Fenster), South Africa, asked listeners about their experiences with their neighbours, and apparently a dispute about a dog led one caller to share his story:

“My neighbour decided I’m a hobbit… and put hobbit posters all around the complex.”

Yes, apparently parking bays, walls and cars were decorated overnight — proving that passive-aggressive behaviour in Joburg sometimes comes with excellent production values.

Inter alia

Cast of FIREFLY tease possible reunion (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) [Wertzone]

Paramount/Warner Bros. Merger Officially Announced; Star Trek Named One Of “Compelling” Franchises (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) [TrekMovie; see also RedshirtsAlwaysDie (Öffnet in neuem Fenster)]

(Paramount Skydance owner David) Ellison has been described as an ally of Donald Trump. Trump has boasted about his friendship with David Ellison and his father Larry Ellison. [Wikipedia (Öffnet in neuem Fenster)]

DC's future just got very complicated (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) [ICv2]

Please note the Ellisons now essentially own the Eagle & Child (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).

Hobbits are named in this impressive piece on legendary band Wishbone Ash (Öffnet in neuem Fenster). [Loudersound]

Game of Thrones film adaptation in the works at Warner Bros (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) [Guardian]

Comic Baldo mentions Middle-earth in this (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).

Another idiotic social media trend even has the Diocese of Oxford say something: “DIY gravestone cleaning trend risks damage (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).”²

Keeping an eye on this one: Oxford could get a new city centre public square (Öffnet in neuem Fenster). [Oxford Clarion]

Thinking about starting a newsletter, podcast, Patreon, Substack etc.?

Then do consider using Steady (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) - it is an exceptionally easy to use option for all needs. Built originally for an independent journalists’ collective, Krautreporter (Öffnet in neuem Fenster), it is run by creative minds for creative minds. Think Patreon, just better. It is based in Germany, free of enshittification (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) and nazis.

Do use my invite link (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) and start with three months fee-free.
[Transparency note: I get a small referral bonus with no extra costs to you.]

According to German law I have to inform you all links to enterprises, artists, products etc. are [unpaid advertisements.] Some purchase links may earn me a small commission from Blackwell's (Öffnet in neuem Fenster), Bookshop.org (Öffnet in neuem Fenster), or Genialokal (Öffnet in neuem Fenster), the (independent) bookshops of my personal trust (one with a Tolkien connection!)

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

As this is 2026 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 Tolkien Gleanings 386 (Öffnet in neuem Fenster). ↩

2. h/t Oxford Clarion, March 10, 2026 (Öffnet in neuem Fenster). ↩