iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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WuTangIsForTheChildren @wutangforchildren.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Buckingham Palace band playing 9 to 5 for Dolly Parton

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Nicholas Birns @nicholasbirns.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

The one thing I haven’t seen addressed about the Odyssey movie. It talks about the loss of literacy as something tragic, and a culture which does not have literacy as barbarian. but the power of the poems prob. comes from originally being oral. That’s why Phemias is a rapper…

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Dr Grace Khuri @gracekhuri.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

What happens when some of a young Tolkien's early Elvish (Gnomish) words aren't really what they seem? Reflections on some of the linguistic seeds of Tolkien's poignant and masterful mythology... #Tolkien #Silmarillion #Philology www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_NH...

youtube.com

Lexical Palimpsests: Old English and Old Norse Loan Words in Tolkien's Gnomish Lexicon (1917)

YouTube video by Oxford Tolkien Network

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Haven‘t seen the film yet, but already need to make it about #Tolkien. My thoughts on some connections of #TheOdyssey and Tolkien in the first of two parts now online with @thetolkienist.com

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Tea with Tolkien @teawithtolkien.com · 17/07/2026

If I were to imagine Middle-earth as a tapestry, it would be woven with every color. So too should be its adaptations. So too should be its fan communities. You are welcome here. 🫶

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

@haskoliislands.bsky.social scholar Justine Vignolles speaking on " #Trauma and #Intertextuality in Tolkien's #Silmarillion": comparisons of war experiences by #Tolkien and Medieval Icelandic characters, including important swords and rings.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Luke Sewell compares Tolkien's #Turin, Egger's #Nosferatu and the biblical #Samson in terms of dyscatastrophic storytelling - another #Tolkien paper at IMC Leeds this morning.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

" #Belliphonic in Tolkien's Legendarium" was the topic of Ali Mirzabayati's presentation, considering how #Tolkien depicts the soundscape of battle in #Middle-earth.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Rafael Pascual of @universidadgranada.bsky.social considered "A Metrical Exception in Beowulf: Folklore and Comic Effect", building on and expanding the observations by #Tolkien on the matter.

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Brian Egede-Pedersen @kindmetalteacher.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Had great fun talking about the Dunlendings in The War of the Rohirrim yesterday at the #Tolkien in modern media round table at @imc-leeds.bsky.social

A man presents a paper. On the screen, it says “No rabble of Wildmen - The Dunlendings in The War of the Rohirrim”

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Frances Ringwood and Michèle duPlessis-Hay speak on „Woodlands in Britain, Medieval Poetry, and Tolkien‘s Middle-earth“, comparing various forests and their usage in #Tolkien and his precursors, incl. Aldarion as an eco-conscious lumberjack - another day at @imc-leeds.bsky.social.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

The day in #TolkienAtLeeds ends with @erikjampa.bsky.social speaking on „Elvo-Indo-European and the End of the Third Age", exploring a plethora of linguistic inspirations for #Tolkien conceptualizing his Secondary World. He proposes (among others) why he called Middle-earth „roughly 6000 years old“.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

„Medieval Timekeeping in Middle-earth and Valinor“ is the contribution of #TolkienAtLeeds co-organizer @jrrtastrochick.bsky.social. #Tolkien considered leapyears, necessarily (!) complicating date conversions into our world. What he didn't consider will be on #JournalofTolkienResearch next week.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

@gingerprof.bsky.social continues #TolkienAtLeeds with „Shifting Narrative #Temporalities in Tolkien‘s First Age“, highlighting the various framing techniques and callbacks that create the illusion of multi-layered temporality in the #Silmarillion. #CamiForKeynoteAtBirmingham2027

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

#TolkienAtLeeds continues with an examination of #QueerTemporalities in Tolkien‘s Middle-earth: to Pippin, time management in Gondor is queer when a bell structures the day, rather than his individual hunger and six non-fixes #hobbit meals, argues Yvette Kisor. #SecondBreakfast #Tolkien

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Amy Amendt-Raduege examines #time itself in the works of #Tolkien in „‚In No Time‘: Writing Time in Timeless Space“ next for #TolkienAtLeeds, retracing different understandings and perceptions of time, and their echoes in Middle-earth.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

The inimitable @aranelparmadil.bsky.social of @signumuniversity.bsky.social traced „Humour and Language in Tolkien‘s Lesser-Known Poetry“, including copious amounts of singing, and proving the detailed philological application of #Tolkien in his own poetry. #TolkienAtLeeds

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

„Constructing and Absolving Temporality with #Tolkien Poetry-Songs“ is Lyra Keran Zhang‘s contribution to #TolkienAtLeeds: poetry-songs serve multiple functions, one of them is the contextualizing of/through ancient/epic history and myth.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

@uofgfantasy.bsky.social scholar @mercuryreads.bsky.social reflects on #Tolkien and his characters #cruising Faerie, torn between artistic hobby and domestic duties, among others. From "you cannot always be torn in two" to "reunited in the end". #TolkienAtLeeds #LeafByNiggle

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

@annasmol.bsky.social examines „Multitemporal Drama in #Tolkien Fiction“, and how the #NotionClubPapers merge multiple worlds and times across Secondary (and Tertiary) Creations. A great start to Day Two of #TolkienAtLeeds. #Temporalities

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

In „Ecological (In)Fidelity in Middle-earth as Played by Aotearoa“, @roryq.bsky.social investigates how #Tolkien descriptions of nature in his works are an integral part of the narrative rather than plot distractions, and how well #PeterJackson adapted these at #TolkienAtLeeds.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Christopher Vaccaro (resplendent in pink!) continues #TolkienAtLeeds with chat #Tolkien knew about women-centric spaces and discourse in „Beguines, Nuns, and Entwives: Lesbian-identified Spaces in Middle-earth“ – entwives as a textual not-quite-Leerstelle, inhabited solely by women.

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

@ashiggins.bsky.social explores 'The Inner Consistency of Philological Reality' in Tolkien's invented languages at @imc-leeds.bsky.social. He reminds us that Tolkien was interested in more than just *narrative* consistency. #TolkienAtLeeds

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zorniger alter Mann @zornigeraltermann.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Meine Kumpeline hat ihre Haustür gesegnet.

Motiv und Perspektive
Das Bild zeigt einen Ausschnitt eines Tür- oder Fensterrahmens aus leicht schräger, frontaler Perspektive. Der obere Bereich besteht aus einem glatten, dunklen Rahmenmaterial – vermutlich Holz oder Metall. Darunter befindet sich eine strukturierte, milchige Glasfläche, deren unregelmäßiges Muster das Licht diffus bricht.
Zentrale Elemente
Auf dem oberen Rahmen ist mit weißer Kreide eine Zeichenfolge notiert:
„20 + F + G + K + A + F + D + 26“
Die Schrift wirkt handgeschrieben, leicht unregelmäßig und eher spontan angebracht. Die Kreide steht klar im Kontrast zum dunklen Rahmen.
Materialien und Oberflächen
Der Rahmen wirkt fest, glatt und leicht glänzend.
Das Glas darunter ist stark strukturiert, fast wie ein Wellen- oder Tropfenmuster, und lässt keine klare Sicht hindurch.
Die Kreidezeichnung ist matt und wirkt frisch, ohne sichtbare Verwischungen.

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

NEW TOLKIEN JUST OUT: delighted to see “JRR #Tolkien’s Soul’s Ward: A critical edition of his unpublished translation of the early Middle English homily Sawles Warde” edited by Andoni Cossio and Nelson Goering: academic.oup.com/res/advance-... Chuffed to have played a minor role in this 1/3

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Andie Sophia 💛🤍💜🖤 @andiesophia.is · 03/06/2026

*nodding sagely, adjusting my glasses* but is it art?

a painting by Travis Chapman showing a raccoon sitting on a hippo's butt, igniting its fart. the flaming fart is met by milk streaming from the udders of three cows standing on their hind legs. the resulting mixture is being collected in little bowls by a beaver. the painting is entitled "Harvesting crème brûlée"

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Clare Moore @clarelmoore.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

🏳️‍🌈 Happy Pride month 🏳️‍🌈 Thrilled to announce that the special issue “Asexuality in Tolkien’s Legendarium” co-edited with @roryq.bsky.social is now published on the Journal of Tolkien Research: scholar.valpo.edu/journaloftol...

scholar.valpo.edu

Journal of Tolkien Research (JTR) | Valparaiso University

The Journal of Tolkien Research (JTR) is a peer-reviewed electronic journal. It has the goal of providing high-quality research and scholarship based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) and on...

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Jon Adcock @jonadcock.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Not AI. Penguin Random House created an unburnable copy of the Handmaid's Tale. Printed on fire-resistant paper and bound with a flame retardant cover, the book was auctioned off. The still is from the promotional video where Atwood took a flamethrower to it. Fuck Gilead. #booksky

Margaret Atwood attempting to burn a fire resistant copy of the handmaid's Tale

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Tolkien Seminar DTG @tolkienseminardtg.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

Don't forget - you can still submit abstracts on "Environment, the World around us, and the Connatural World in Tolkien’s Works" by 31st May! 💙📚 #envhum #envhist #Tolkien #lit #fantasy #CfP

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Tom Emanuel @realtomemanuel.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

"Today, the human desire for fullness of life is at risk of being misled by […] technology that promises to free us from all weakness, and models of wellbeing that leave behind entire populations." Pope Leo only quotes Tolkien once in his encyclical but he's literally describing a Ring of Power.

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Lauren Deschain @thatnerdchick.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Thanks, Vonnegut. 💜

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

As I continue my “slow” re-read of The Lord of the Rings I’m pausing to contemplate how Tolkien sets up the anxious times before the War of the Ring erupts, including movement of peoples driven by fear. dimitrafimi.substack.com/p/the-slow-l...

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Dr. Frank Weinreich @drfrankweinreich.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

The English version of my Substack on Tolkien is online: The one underlying aspect that makes his fiction so universally appealing: frankweinreich.substack.com/p/jrr-tolkie...

frankweinreich.substack.com

J.R.R. Tolkien – Fantasy‘s Greatest

Thoughts on the universal appeal of his work

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The A.V. Club @avclub.com · 02/05/2026

Director David Frankel tapped artist Alexis Franklin to hand-paint an AI Meryl Streep meme that appeared in the film.

avclub.com

The Devil Wears Prada 2 hired a real human artist to make its AI slop

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 05/04/2026

Do check this out for a series of amazing guest lectures (and an okay one [🙋🏼‍♂️] in July), and to join an engaging and interactive international reading club of the works of #Tolkien. #BigRead #BookClub #TolkienStudies

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Happy Tolkien Reading Day! This is the first of a series of pieces recording my thoughts as I’m going through a slow re-read of The Lord of the Rings. dimitrafimi.substack.com/p/the-slow-l...

dimitrafimi.substack.com

The Slow LotR Re-read (1): Bilbo as a folklore hero

Happy Tolkien Reading Day! And thanks to all of you who have followed and supported my Substack, “A kind of elvish craft”, which celebrates its first birthday today!

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Boze Herrington, Library Owl @sketchesbyboze.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

Saw someone say the world is a boring place because there are no elves or dragons, so I'm legally obliged to share this:

Mason: Dad, there's no real magic in the world, right?
Dad: What do you mean?
Mason: You know, like elves and stuff. People just made that up.
Dad: Oh, I don't know. I mean, what makes you think that elves are any more magical than something like a whale? Yoy know what I mean? What if I told you a story about how underneath the ocean, there was this giant sea mammal that used sonar and sang songs and it was so big that its heart was the size of a car and you could crawl through the arteries? I mean, you'd think that was pretty magical, right?

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Marcel R. Bülles 📚💍🌋🎉 @thetolkienist.com · 16/03/2026

Well, that is certainly a loss... Michael Hague has passed away. [He did the legendary 1984 Hobbit] downthetubes.net/in-memoriam-...

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 15/03/2026

Happy Mothering Sunday! #MotheringSunday #MothersDay #Tolkien @tolkiensociety.org @tolkienwonder.bsky.social Art by Catherine Chmiel dimitrafimi.substack.com/p/for-mother...

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

José Maria Miranda Boto closing the #SwissTolkien Conference with observations on the practicalities of rulership in Middle-earth, positing Théoden as the perfect traditional King: doesn‘t govern much, dies gloriously = good man! #Tolkien #TolkienStudies #HisBookMentionsMe

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

In ‚Elendil: Leading through Echoes‘, Judith Klinger investigates his own #leadership and how he inspires later ideals of #kingship. From refugee leader to intermediary through symbols/heirlooms, Elendil „inhabits a space between worlds and times“. #Tolkien #TolkienStudies #SwissTolkien

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Sina and Julia of the #TypischRavenclaw Podcast apply the @economist.com Democracy Index to the Peoples of Middle-earth in 3018 T.A., asking „How authoritarian are the free folks of Middle-earth“ at the #SwissTolkien Conference. #Tolkien #TolkienStudies #Democracy

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Thoughts on ‚The Training, Character and Impact of Gandalf‘ by Matthew Dickerson at the #SwissTolkien Conference: the centrality of lament and him learning at the house of Nienna about #pity and #patience, #endurance and #hope – THE central qualities of his leadership! #Tolkien #TolkienStudies

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

In ‚Bilbo as Mystical Leader‘ Claudio A. Testi argues Bilbo exemplifies traditional qualities of the mystic: abandonment, action as an end in itself, detachment and the bright darkness. Most convincing: Bilbo goes on an adventure just for the sake of adventure. #Tolkien #TolkienStudies #SwissTolkien

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Christian S. Trenk @cstrnk.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

@thetolkienist.com speaking at the 2nd Swiss Tolkien Conference in #Zurich – and initiatives on ecologically sound tourism in the #Lauterbrunnen valley is the reason a German was invited to speak about the Swiss countryside. #Tolkien #Tolkienist #TolkienStudies

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Tolkien Seminar DTG @tolkienseminardtg.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

📢 #CfP for the 22nd #Tolkien Seminar of the @germantolksoc.bsky.social in cooperation with the Environmental Education Centre in Augsburg and WTP 📜Environment, the World around us, and the Connatural World in Tolkien’s Works #envhum #ecocrit www.tolkiengesellschaft.de/55214/tolkie...

tolkiengesellschaft.de

Tolkien Seminar 2026 – Call for Papers [EN] & Scholarship

The 22st seminar of the German Tolkien Society is supported by Walking Tree Publishers and will take place in cooperation with the Department of Book Science in a hybrid format (mainly in presence but...

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

When did the tiny fairy trope begin? In today’s piece (part 2/2) I’m looking at the evidence from the most recent fairy scholarship, incl. by Ronald Hutton and @drfrancisyoung.bsky.social. And, of course, I am closing with a verdict on Tolkien's own view! 🧚 dimitrafimi.substack.com/p/when-did-t...

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

Every now and again I feel obliged to repost David E. Alter Jr's brilliant 1982 pic Bilbo's Great Adventure. Like a cross between a Victorian neo-medieval tapestry and an 8-bit platform game it condenses the whole story of The Hobbit into one image. My fave #Tolkien detail...that awesome little Bard

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

New piece, in which I’m tracing the origins of the little people and tiny worlds tradition back to the early modern period (with Tolkien’s “On Fairy-stories as a touchstone) dimitrafimi.substack.com/p/little-peo... @tolkiensociety.org @folkloresociety.bsky.social

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