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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Tolkien based the Elves’ title “Fair Folk” on the Welsh Tylwyth Teg, “the Beautiful Kindred”. My new “slow” Lord of the Rings re-read explores Gildor’s company, myth, fairylore and Tolkien’s Welsh imagination. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 🧝🏻‍♀️ Free opening; full essay for subscribers: dimitrafimi.substack.com/p/the-slow-l...

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

A few glimpses from yesterday’s visit to Benmore Botanic Garden, close to Dunoon. Autumn colours, impressive giant redwoods, a Victorian fernery and so much more. 🍂

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I spoke with John Pienaar on Times Radio about #Tolkien’s forthcoming Westminster Abbey memorial, Tolkien’s literary standing, the quality of his prose, fantasy and allegory, and adaptations as interpretations. Interview at 1:56:46. Free sign-in required: www.thetimes.com/radio/show/2...

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I ended up speaking to John Pienaar about this on Times Radio this evening - will post a link if/when available!

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Wonderful #Tolkien news! Westminster Abbey has announced that J.R.R. Tolkien will be honoured with a memorial in Poets' Corner. I've known about this project for some years + was privileged to be consulted during its development. Great to see it made public! www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-news/a...

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Gruffalo Granny first impressions: a really clever, funny, scary, heartwarming, impeccably rhymed story, and a wonderful tribute to storytelling and to the idea of stories existing in dialogue with other stories. Long live the Gruffalo! (And the little brown mouse, naturally.)

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

At human scale, Mr Wuffles is an ordinary house cat. From beneath the radiator, Mr Wuffles belongs to a monster narrative. New essay on scale, visual storytelling and material culture in David Wiesner’s Mr Wuffles!: dimitrafimi.substack.com/p/mr-wuffles... 🐈‍⬛ 👽 🐜

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Why are Brambly Hedge illustrations so irresistible? In my latest Miniature Fantasies essay, I explore mice, miniature worlds, dolls’ houses, cross-sections, and the pleasure of seeing hidden worlds opened up before us. dimitrafimi.substack.com/p/inside-bra...

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Delighted to be interviewed by Elfenomeno, one of the major Tolkien websites in the Spanish-speaking world. Interview (in English): www.elfenomeno.com/en/info/ver/...

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

What can tiny people learn from fairy tales, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and Gulliver’s Travels? In Terry Pratchett’s Nome Trilogy, quite a lot. New Miniature Fantasies essay: dimitrafimi.substack.com/p/terry-prat... @uofgfantasy.bsky.social

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

The Tolkien Encyclopaedia (ed. Mike Drout) is a good starting point.

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Did #Tolkien originally imagine the One Ring being swallowed by a fish? This week’s “slow” LotR Re-read explores an international folklore motif, early Lord of the Rings drafts, and a very strange fish. dimitrafimi.substack.com/p/the-slow-l... @tolkiensociety.org @uofgfantasy.bsky.social

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Joined “A kind of elvish craft” recently and not sure where to begin? I’ve made a Tolkien route through the open archive: Bilbo, Gandalf, hobbit talk, Sam Gamgee, the Ring, and the opening chapters of The Lord of the Rings. Archive open until 7 September. dimitrafimi.substack.com/p/a-route-th...

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

I’ve got a slow mo video of the swallows - might post it in case anyone more knowledgeable than me can tell!

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

There were so many swallows at Doune Castle, flying all around the walls and in and out of the Great Hall. I managed to get this slow mo video - you’ll miss their lovely twittering (slow mo messes up sound) but you can see their elegant flying! #birding #BirdsSeenIn2026

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

That one was by my husband and their swallows - so many of them!

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

We visited Doune Castle today, a 14th-century stronghold close to Stirling and a location for: - Ivanhoe - Monty Python and the Holy Grail - Game of Thrones (Winterfell) - Outlander (Castle Leoch) Beautifully looked after by Historic Scotland and worth every penny of the very affordable tickets! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🏰

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Are the Borrowers:🪲 insects? 🧚 fairies? 🐭 mice? Or something else entirely? My latest Miniature Fantasies essay explores how Mary Norton invites us to classify the Borrowers... and why every category fails. 🔗 dimitrafimi.substack.com/p/the-borrow...

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

What kind of object is the Ring? In the latest instalment of my “slow” Lord of the Rings re-read, I explore gold, inscriptions, posy rings, and the material power of Tolkien's most dangerous artefact. dimitrafimi.substack.com/p/the-slow-l... @uofgfantasy.bsky.social @tolkiensociety.org

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Impromptu trip to Aberfoyle today to pay our respects to Scotland’s first folklorist, the Reverend Robert Kirk, author of The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns & Fairies. Then we climbed up Doon Hill to find the Fairy Tree (some believe it’s an entrance to Faërie, where Kirk is still) 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Always worth photographing the University of Glasgow‘s magnificent gothic tower and spire - especially as I’ve just got out of a meeting right here and the sun is shining!

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Reposted by Prof. Dimitra Fimi

Clare Moore @clarelmoore.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Wonderful post on a childhood favorite of mine 👇🏻

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

What exactly is Thumbelina? A female Tom Thumb? A flower-fairy? Or something else altogether? In my latest essay I explore various critical readings before focusing on what her tiny size and intriguing ending can tell us about the history of miniature fantasy dimitrafimi.substack.com/p/thumbelina...

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Gremlins existed long before the 1984 film. WWII RAF pilots blamed them for mechanical failures, accidents, and crashed aircraft. Here's a free preview of my new subscriber lecture on Roald Dahl's The Gremlins and the folklore of tiny saboteurs. open.substack.com/pub/dimitraf...

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Today it’s Alice’s Day, commemorating the “golden” afternoon on 4 July 1862 when Lewis Carrol (Charles Dodgson) first told the story of Alice’s fantastical adventures to Lorina, Alice, and Edith Liddell. Art by: John Tenniel, Salvador Dalí, Tove Jansson, and Helen Oxenbury. @uofgfantasy.bsky.social

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Gandalf knows the Ring is dangerous and still refuses to take it from Bilbo by force. Instead, he chooses to wait. That kind of restraint is difficult - and it turns out to be crucial. 👉 open.substack.com/pub/dimitraf...

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Always lovely to wear my robes for graduation, and especially today, seeing two of my own PhD students receiving their doctorate degrees! One thesis on Tolkien, by Dr Tom Emanuel (@realtomemanuel.bsky.social), the other on Tamora Pierce, by Dr Grace Worm!

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Why does Gandalf behave less like a wizard in his confrontation with Bilbo—and more like a parent? That’s the starting point for my latest piece on The Lord of the Rings. The opening is free to read if you’d like to take a look: 👉 open.substack.com/pub/dimitraf...

open.substack.com

The Slow LotR Re-read (9): Gandalf the Parent—Power, Persuasion, and Letting Go

My “slow” re-read of The Lord of the Rings has now reached Chapter 2 of Book I of The Fellowship of the Ring, “The Shadow of the Past”.

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

They’re different enough, I think. The Worst Witch series is for younger readers and less interested in the worldbuilding (though the characters are glorious!)

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

I’ve been quietly writing not 1, but 2 books - and reshaping my Substack to make it possible. One will be on miniature fantasies, the other is the reason for my “slow” re-read of The #LordoftheRings. The full archive is open to all as I begin a new weekly series: open.substack.com/pub/dimitraf...

open.substack.com

A Summer Confession: Two Books, and the Vaults Are Open

Why I’ve been keeping a major Tolkien secret – and how you can access my entire archive for free until September 7th.

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was published 29 years ago today! Here are some of the various editions and covers over the years. Particularly thinking about the 3rd one right now as I’m writing something… ✨🪄🚂⚡️

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

I do remember it! I was in the middle of my PhD! On Tolkien! He also said, don’t do a PhD on Tolkien, because, who would give you a job? (Thanks Tom! Yet, here I am!)

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

(details here: www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6...). Exciting new info on Middle-earth and Wales (something I’ve lectured on for Literature Wales, in an outdoors “literary walk” right by Crickhowell!) and on Ents (see my previous two pieces in my “slow” LotR re-read series!) More anon! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 2/2

christies.com

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

When I caveat research points about Tolkien (e.g. there’s no evidence that he knew/meant that - that we *know* of) is because there’s still primary material out there we haven’t seen yet. This is a case in point: newly discovered letter by Tolkien to be sold by Christie’s 1/2

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Today I’ve been working on my conference paper for next week, on gremlins! Here’s my title slide! (P.S. if you’re coming to our conference, do find me and say hello! Details here: www.gla.ac.uk/schools/crit...) @uofgfantasy.bsky.social @uofgartshums.bsky.social

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Happy birthday to Chris Van Allsburg who is turning 77 today! Among his many picturebooks I’m thinking today of the Caldecott-Medal-winning Jumanji (1981) and the way it works as a tricksy intrusion fantasy. Beware of board games found abandoned in parks… 🦏 🦁 🐵 🐍

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

“Excuse me, but I'm very hungry. Do you think I could have tea with you?” 🐯 🐅 ☕️ 🫖 The Tiger Who Came to Tea, by Judith Kerr, born #OTD in 1923 (she would have been 103 years old today!)

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

My “slow” #LotR re-read continues with a piece on Sam Gamgee: his willingness to consider folklore as a genuine source of the numinous and his desire for Faërie resonate strongly with Tolkien’s own reflections in “On Fairy-stories”. dimitrafimi.substack.com/p/the-slow-l... @tolkiensociety.org

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Gorgeous! Welcome, little one! And all the best to you, Kaitlyn!

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

Bonus gift: here are the first and last pages of the typescript from Tolkien’s manuscripts shared via an exclusive Telegraph piece yesterday - notice the title in Tolkien’s recognisable hand! (Here’s the Telegraph piece, though behind a paywall: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/06...) 3/3

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

When @lukebshelton.bsky.social and I commissioned Andoni Cossio and Nelson Goering to write the Oxford Handbook of J.R.R. Tolkien chapter on Tolkien as a scholar, I knew they’d do an amazing job (they did!) But was even happier to find out they made this discovery whilst researching the chapter! 2/3

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

Buff-tailed bumble bee on allium blossom 🐝

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