Norloth TRD.jpeg

Image by Norloth, used with permission



With Tolkien Reading Day (an annual event held on March 25th) less than one week away, and so so many of us not able to get out and socialize in public, I am organizing an unofficial online gathering for anyone and everyone to join in, listen to others read, and read as well if you desire.

The live streaming event will take place on Discord, a wonderful service for audio and text chatting - a free account will be needed to participate. The link you will need for the event is https://discord.gg/ZJfh7xD if you want to participate in the live text chat or want to be a reader. If you just want to listen, the live stream should be available on YouTube, thanks to the excellent support of the German Tolkien Society (Deutsche Tolkien Gessellshaft e.V.) - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCerbg8qXXeiQEvxq7u6Kz6w

You are welcome to join in at any time, though there will not be any scheduled readings until March 25th. If you would like to schedule a time to read something, please contact me through private message and we will work it out. Open mic readings will take place all day long as well if you just want to drop in.

Guest readers who have volunteered to join the muster so far are:
  • Marcel Aubron-Bülles
  • Dr. Luke Shelton
  • John Garth
  • Carl Hostetter
  • Dr. Andrew Higgins
  • Jason Fisher
  • Brian Sibley
  • Dr. Dimitra Fimi (and special guest ?)
  • Clifford “Quickbeam” Broadway
  • James Tauber
  • Patrick M. Hausen
  • Chica Chubb - Japan
  • Dr. Sara Brown
  • Alan Sisto from The Prancing Pony Podcast
  • Shawn Marchese from The Prancing Pony Podcast
  • Stephen Hunter (“Bombur” in The Hobbit movies)
  • Bruce Hopkins (“Gamling” in The Lord of the Rings movies)
  • Mark Atkin (Thorin double in The Hobbit movies)
  • Lori Dungey - Played Mrs. Bracegirdle in The Fellowship of the Ring, but more well known as a voice/character actor and MC for various European conventions.
  • Jed Brophy - Nori in The Hobbit movie, Sharku / Snaga / Ringwraith and others in The Lord of the Rings movies.
  • Becca Tarnas
  • Ted Nasmith - amazing artist
  • Anke Eissman - amazing artist
  • Joe Hoffman of Idiosophy
  • Verlyn Flieger
  • Dr. Una McCormack
  • and hopefully more to come

Most readers will be at specific times during the day, all day long so hopefully everyone around the world will be able to enjoy at least part of the event.

[UPDATE] The (draft, always being updated) schedule has been added to the bottom of this post. Please expect there may be some changes, additions or even cancellations due to circumstances beyond all of our control.

Please join us, share the invite around to anyone you think might be interested, and let's all have a bit of cheer and fun as best we can. Here is the link to the server again:

https://discord.gg/ZJfh7xD

Scheduling for March 25th Tolkien Reading Day Event



The times shown in the calendar below are approximate - the readings will not all be exactly half an hour each! There will be gaps for open mic readings, some readers may run long, and we will all just have fun and do the best we can. Again - If you are interested in reading, please let me know!




PDT (-7)MDT (-6)CDT (-5)EDT (-4)GMTJST (+9)NZDT (+13)ReaderReading a selection from
2:00 AM3:00 AM4:00 AM5:00 AM9:00 AM6:00 PM10:00 PMDr. Una McCormack"The Steward and the King"
2:30 AM3:30 AM4:30 AM5:30 AM9:30 AM6:30 PM10:30 PMLori Dungey"Queer Lodgings"
3:00 AM4:00 AM5:00 AM6:00 AM10:00 AM7:00 PM11:00 PMBrian SibleyLeaf By Niggle and The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
3:30 AM4:30 AM5:30 AM6:30 AM10:30 AM7:30 PM11:30 PM
4:00 AM5:00 AM6:00 AM7:00 AM11:00 AM8:00 PM12:00 AMPatrick M. Hausen"Converse of Manwë and Eru"
4:30 AM5:30 AM6:30 AM7:30 AM11:30 AM8:30 PM12:30 AMMark AtkinAppendix A "Durin's Folk"
5:00 AM6:00 AM7:00 AM8:00 AM12:00 PM9:00 PM1:00 AMJames TauberLhammas + (maybe) A Secret Vice
5:30 AM6:30 AM7:30 AM8:30 AM12:30 PM9:30 PM1:30 AMAnke Eissman"The Window on the West"
6:00 AM7:00 AM8:00 AM9:00 AM1:00 PM10:00 PM2:00 AMJohn Garth"Mount Doom" and The Worlds of JRR Tolkien
6:30 AM7:30 AM8:30 AM9:30 AM1:30 PM10:30 PM2:30 AMChica ChubbTolkien's poems in Japanese translations
7:00 AM8:00 AM9:00 AM10:00 AM2:00 PM11:00 PM3:00 AMDr. Luke SheltonFather Christmas Letters
7:30 AM8:30 AM9:30 AM10:30 AM2:30 PM11:30 PM3:30 AMCarl HostetterPoems and texts in Elvish
8:00 AM9:00 AM10:00 AM11:00 AM3:00 PM12:00 AM4:00 AMDr. Sara Brown"Drums in the Deep"
8:30 AM9:30 AM10:30 AM11:30 AM3:30 PM12:30 AM4:30 AMTed NasmithUnfinished Tales
9:00 AM10:00 AM11:00 AM12:00 PM4:00 PM1:00 AM5:00 AMAlan - Prancing Pony Podcast"Of Aulë and Yavanna", "Akallabêth", Flotsam & Jetsam, Scouring of the Shire
9:30 AM10:30 AM11:30 AM12:30 PM4:30 PM1:30 AM5:30 AM
10:00 AM11:00 AM12:00 PM1:00 PM5:00 PM2:00 AM6:00 AMTroels ForchhammerSmith of Wootton Major essay
10:30 AM11:30 AM12:30 PM1:30 PM5:30 PM2:30 AM6:30 AMJason Fisher"The Tower of Cirith Ungol", "The Land of Shadow"
11:00 AM12:00 PM1:00 PM2:00 PM6:00 PM3:00 AM7:00 AMVerlyn FliegerAotrou and Itroun
11:15 AM12:15 PM1:15 PM2:15 PM6:15 PM3:15 AM7:15 AMDr. Dimitra FimiInterview and The Hobbit samples
11:30 AM12:30 PM1:30 PM2:30 PM6:30 PM3:30 AM7:30 AMBen ShermanAppendix A "Durin's Folk"
12:00 PM1:00 PM2:00 PM3:00 PM7:00 PM4:00 AM8:00 AMDr. Andrew HigginsThe Book of Lost Tales
12:30 PM1:30 PM2:30 PM3:30 PM7:30 PM4:30 AM8:30 AMBecca TarnasScouring of the Shire
1:00 PM2:00 PM3:00 PM4:00 PM8:00 PM5:00 AM9:00 AMWill SherwoodLay of Leithian from The Book of Lost Tales
1:30 PM2:30 PM3:30 PM4:30 PM8:30 PM5:30 AM9:30 AMBruce Hopkins Erik Mueller-HarderLord of the Rings Eplilogue from Sauron Defeated
2:00 PM3:00 PM4:00 PM5:00 PM9:00 PM6:00 AM10:00 AMClifford Broadway"The Houses of Healing"
2:30 PM3:30 PM4:30 PM5:30 PM9:30 PM6:30 AM10:30 AM
3:00 PM4:00 PM5:00 PM6:00 PM10:00 PM7:00 AM11:00 AMMarcel Aubron-BüllesTúrin Turambar
3:30 PM4:30 PM5:30 PM6:30 PM10:30 PM7:30 AM11:30 AMJoe HoffmanThe Fall of Arthur
3:45 PM4:45 PM5:45 PM6:45 PM10:45 PM7:45 AM11:45 AMVasilios AsimakosSmith of Wootton Major
4:00 PM5:00 PM6:00 PM7:00 PM11:00 PM8:00 AM12:00 PMShawn - Prancing Pony Podcast"Journey to the Cross-Roads"
4:30 PM5:30 PM6:30 PM7:30 PM11:30 PM8:30 AM12:30 PMStephen Hunter"Flies and Spiders"
5:00 PM6:00 PM7:00 PM8:00 PM12:00 AM9:00 AM1:00 PMJed Brophy"The Choices of Master Samwise"