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 (Si apre in una nuova finestra)¹ [Conferences that work]

Events & Shows

The Concord Public Library is hosting a Hobbit Fest (Si apre in una nuova finestra) March 21; New Hampshire, USA]

The Full Moon Players (Si apre in una nuova finestra) at the Cypress Moon Studio (Si apre in una nuova finestra) in are doing The Hobbit (Si apre in una nuova finestra). [Apr 23-26; Sheffield, Alabama, United States]

The Mythical World of Middle-earth conference will take place March 27th (Si apre in una nuova finestra) [Constantine the Philosopher University (Si apre in una nuova finestra), Nitra, Slovakia]

Representing the gazillion of pub quizzes this week is Tolkien Trivia (Si apre in una nuova finestra) in Duluth, Minnesota, USA [Mar 11; caught my eye as the brewery is called Ursa Minor (Si apre in una nuova finestra)]

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 (Si apre in una nuova finestra) [Springfield-Lakemore Branch Library; Akron, Ohio, USA]

MythCon 54 (Si apre in una nuova finestra) 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 (Si apre in una nuova finestra); 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 (Si apre in una nuova finestra) for June 19-21, 2026.

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

I am doing a global map for Tolkien Reading Day (Si apre in una nuova finestra), 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 (Si apre in una nuova finestra) | YT (Si apre in una nuova finestra) | RSS feed (Si apre in una nuova finestra)]

Scholarship & Fandom

John Garth has Tolkien’s land of the dead and ‘going west’ in 1914–18 (Si apre in una nuova finestra) [Steady; paywall]

Miriam Ellis has Woodhall in the Woody End: A Special, Dreamy Shire Landscape (Si apre in una nuova finestra) as well as Yavanna and the Hobbits (Si apre in una nuova finestra).

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

The Bodleian Map Room Blog does mention Tolkien in “Approaches to Valhalla (Si apre in una nuova finestra).”

Abigail Nussbaum has The Great Tolkien Reread: Fog on the Barrow-Downs (Si apre in una nuova finestra) [Blogspot]

doubtfulsea has Encouragement (Si apre in una nuova finestra).

I wrote about last year: 2025 in retrospect: fifteen notable events (Si apre in una nuova finestra) [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 (Si apre in una nuova finestra).

Tom Hillman has Gollum said, Sméagol said (Si apre in una nuova finestra).

Merchandise & Franchise

Sirius Partners with asmodee and Middle-earth Enterprises on Official The Lord of the Rings™ Tabletop Accessories Line (Si apre in una nuova finestra) [UberStrategist]

Tales of the Shire (Si apre in una nuova finestra) 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 (Si apre in una nuova finestra) [Polygon]

The Hobbit Affairs! - “a two day Hobbit themed mini ren fair” -will take place April 18 (Si apre in una nuova finestra), somewhere in North Carolina, USA.

Peter Jackson will receive the Cannes Honorary Palme d'or (Si apre in una nuova finestra).

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

LotR boardgaming developer Office Dog Games have Why classic board games still matter to modern publishing studios (Si apre in una nuova finestra).

Game Designer Matt Leacock notes (Si apre in una nuova finestra):

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 (Si apre in una nuova finestra), 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 (Si apre in una nuova finestra) [Wertzone]

Paramount/Warner Bros. Merger Officially Announced; Star Trek Named One Of “Compelling” Franchises (Si apre in una nuova finestra) [TrekMovie; see also RedshirtsAlwaysDie (Si apre in una nuova finestra)]

(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 (Si apre in una nuova finestra)]

DC's future just got very complicated (Si apre in una nuova finestra) [ICv2]

Please note the Ellisons now essentially own the Eagle & Child (Si apre in una nuova finestra).

Hobbits are named in this impressive piece on legendary band Wishbone Ash (Si apre in una nuova finestra). [Loudersound]

Game of Thrones film adaptation in the works at Warner Bros (Si apre in una nuova finestra) [Guardian]

Comic Baldo mentions Middle-earth in this (Si apre in una nuova finestra).

Another idiotic social media trend even has the Diocese of Oxford say something: “DIY gravestone cleaning trend risks damage (Si apre in una nuova finestra).”²

Keeping an eye on this one: Oxford could get a new city centre public square (Si apre in una nuova finestra). [Oxford Clarion]

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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 (Si apre in una nuova finestra), Bookshop.org (Si apre in una nuova finestra), or Genialokal (Si apre in una nuova finestra), 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 (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 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 (Si apre in una nuova finestra). ↩

2. h/t Oxford Clarion, March 10, 2026 (Si apre in una nuova finestra). ↩