By-the-Bywater
@bythebywater.bsky.social
By-the-Bywater is a monthly #Tolkien podcast hosted by @vandroidhelsing.bsky.social, @schwindter.bsky.social and @nedraggett.bsky.social -- thanks for listening! Catch up with all our episodes at megaphonic.fm/bythebywater
This is a vision!
In delightful facts I'd never spotted until Adam Roberts pointed it out in Fantasy: A Short History is that we learn that a stone or a bit of earth in True Speech is tolk and the name of the sea is inien thus making Earthsea...
tolk-inien
tolk-inien
December 5, 2025 at 12:24 AM
This is a vision!
Alas.
hi i'm a billionaire my company, which will definitely not murder everyone, is named SauronMurdersEveryone Inc after the beloved jrr tolkien character sauron whom i have always admired for his disruptive use of world changing technology and for murdering everyone
December 5, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Alas.
Reposted by By-the-Bywater
I thought Jared's discussion of LOTR parallels with the Argonautica was really thought-provoking. Good stuff.
December 4, 2025 at 2:38 AM
I thought Jared's discussion of LOTR parallels with the Argonautica was really thought-provoking. Good stuff.
Reposted by By-the-Bywater
This is of course similar to Frodo, however LeGuin has given us such a beautiful and loving view of where Ged goes from there—how he can pick up the pieces and go on. Where Frodo goes on a final journey, Ged gets to finally have a home that he never has to leave.
December 2, 2025 at 7:46 PM
This is of course similar to Frodo, however LeGuin has given us such a beautiful and loving view of where Ged goes from there—how he can pick up the pieces and go on. Where Frodo goes on a final journey, Ged gets to finally have a home that he never has to leave.
Reposted by By-the-Bywater
Additionally, I had never really made the connection between Ged and Frodo but by the end of Farthest Shore Ged has spent three books and half a lifetime traveling to the ends of the earth (quite literally) and has ended up saving the world and being utterly broken by his quest.
December 2, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Additionally, I had never really made the connection between Ged and Frodo but by the end of Farthest Shore Ged has spent three books and half a lifetime traveling to the ends of the earth (quite literally) and has ended up saving the world and being utterly broken by his quest.
Reposted by By-the-Bywater
Loved the episode! Jared mentioned LeGuin's Tombs of Atuan toward the end and it brought to mind that one of the (many) great things about that story is that it *is* about a quest (Ged's) but the quest-er is not our subject. I love the inversion.
December 2, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Loved the episode! Jared mentioned LeGuin's Tombs of Atuan toward the end and it brought to mind that one of the (many) great things about that story is that it *is* about a quest (Ged's) but the quest-er is not our subject. I love the inversion.
Reposted by By-the-Bywater
The feel of an author who's actually tramped his way through nature in his own life and the wrinkles and hitches in those journeys give such texture and depth to the world. Journeying as actual process rather than simply scene change.
Anyway, great fun to listen to people discuss similar points.
Anyway, great fun to listen to people discuss similar points.
December 2, 2025 at 12:32 PM
The feel of an author who's actually tramped his way through nature in his own life and the wrinkles and hitches in those journeys give such texture and depth to the world. Journeying as actual process rather than simply scene change.
Anyway, great fun to listen to people discuss similar points.
Anyway, great fun to listen to people discuss similar points.
Reposted by By-the-Bywater
Really enjoying this episode on journeys in Tolkien.
One of the key things we've lingered on in the close read of Fellowship I've been doing with @chloroformtea.bsky.social has been its focus on the practicalities and realities of travel even as the book shifts from the domestic to the epic.
One of the key things we've lingered on in the close read of Fellowship I've been doing with @chloroformtea.bsky.social has been its focus on the practicalities and realities of travel even as the book shifts from the domestic to the epic.
Episode 81 and our final episode for 2025 is live! This time around we talked about how the journey functions in #Tolkien -- what it means to go on one and what expectations seem to changed for what a journey can mean in many senses of the word. Art by @vandroidhelsing.bsky.social as ever!
81. Maybe They’re Too Peasant Or Whatever | By-The-Bywater
On the journey in Tolkien.
megaphonic.fm
December 2, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Really enjoying this episode on journeys in Tolkien.
One of the key things we've lingered on in the close read of Fellowship I've been doing with @chloroformtea.bsky.social has been its focus on the practicalities and realities of travel even as the book shifts from the domestic to the epic.
One of the key things we've lingered on in the close read of Fellowship I've been doing with @chloroformtea.bsky.social has been its focus on the practicalities and realities of travel even as the book shifts from the domestic to the epic.
Reposted by By-the-Bywater
And yup, @schwindter.bsky.social and @vandroidhelsing.bsky.social and I once again have things to say about something in #Tolkien so give an ear!
Episode 81 and our final episode for 2025 is live! This time around we talked about how the journey functions in #Tolkien -- what it means to go on one and what expectations seem to changed for what a journey can mean in many senses of the word. Art by @vandroidhelsing.bsky.social as ever!
81. Maybe They’re Too Peasant Or Whatever | By-The-Bywater
On the journey in Tolkien.
megaphonic.fm
December 1, 2025 at 5:37 PM
And yup, @schwindter.bsky.social and @vandroidhelsing.bsky.social and I once again have things to say about something in #Tolkien so give an ear!
Reposted by By-the-Bywater
Episode 81 and our final episode for 2025 is live! This time around we talked about how the journey functions in #Tolkien -- what it means to go on one and what expectations seem to changed for what a journey can mean in many senses of the word. Art by @vandroidhelsing.bsky.social as ever!
81. Maybe They’re Too Peasant Or Whatever | By-The-Bywater
On the journey in Tolkien.
megaphonic.fm
December 1, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Episode 81 and our final episode for 2025 is live! This time around we talked about how the journey functions in #Tolkien -- what it means to go on one and what expectations seem to changed for what a journey can mean in many senses of the word. Art by @vandroidhelsing.bsky.social as ever!
Episode 81 and our final episode for 2025 is live! This time around we talked about how the journey functions in #Tolkien -- what it means to go on one and what expectations seem to changed for what a journey can mean in many senses of the word. Art by @vandroidhelsing.bsky.social as ever!
81. Maybe They’re Too Peasant Or Whatever | By-The-Bywater
On the journey in Tolkien.
megaphonic.fm
December 1, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Episode 81 and our final episode for 2025 is live! This time around we talked about how the journey functions in #Tolkien -- what it means to go on one and what expectations seem to changed for what a journey can mean in many senses of the word. Art by @vandroidhelsing.bsky.social as ever!
Spot on.
November 30, 2025 at 11:26 PM
Spot on.
Celebrations are in order for @vandroidhelsing.bsky.social for his birthday! How else would we have both episode illustrations and news readings, for a start.
November 29, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Celebrations are in order for @vandroidhelsing.bsky.social for his birthday! How else would we have both episode illustrations and news readings, for a start.
It has, sadly, often come down to this.
My rule of thumb is if the company is named after something in Lord of the Rings, it’s almost certainly evil.
Since its founding in 2017, Anduril Industries has become one of the hottest companies in a crowded field of defense-tech startup.
Its fast-moving approach comes with its share of setbacks.
Its fast-moving approach comes with its share of setbacks.
November 27, 2025 at 10:57 PM
It has, sadly, often come down to this.
We will take it under advisement.
November 25, 2025 at 5:43 AM
We will take it under advisement.
Quite right.
“Conversation with Smaug”, by JRR Tolkien, for 1937’s “The Hobbit”.
I’ve no idea what state of mind Tolkien was in when he painted it. But every time I’ve seen it, and I’ve seen it a lot, I get the impression that he was having a really great time. It’s so zestful, in its details & as a whole.
I’ve no idea what state of mind Tolkien was in when he painted it. But every time I’ve seen it, and I’ve seen it a lot, I get the impression that he was having a really great time. It’s so zestful, in its details & as a whole.
November 24, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Quite right.
True enough.
saturation with Tolkien spinoffs has somehow not prepared our culture for the arrival of dark lords bearing a gift that everyone becomes convinced they can wield to accomplish great things but just makes them dependent and start whispering about preciouses if you suggest just throwing it away
November 20, 2025 at 12:16 AM
True enough.
New episode in two weeks!
talking about journeys on the next @bythebywater.bsky.social
November 16, 2025 at 11:27 PM
New episode in two weeks!
Reposted by By-the-Bywater
TIRED: techbros who saw the Lord of the Rings films once and think they understand Tolkien and rip off the names for all the wrong things
WIRED: awesome.
WIRED: awesome.
A few hours behind the Mithrandir Pack
YouTube video by Voyageurs Wolf Project
www.youtube.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:08 PM
TIRED: techbros who saw the Lord of the Rings films once and think they understand Tolkien and rip off the names for all the wrong things
WIRED: awesome.
WIRED: awesome.
Reposted by By-the-Bywater
Episode 80 is live! This time we talked about what #Tolkien viewed as one of his core 'Great Tales' and the one with the most personal resonance, Beren and Lúthien. Plus, cats. Really big cats. Episode art by @vandroidhelsing.bsky.social as ever! megaphonic.fm/bythebywater...
80. What If This Housecat Was Actually Really Big? | By-The-Bywater
On Beren and Lúthien.
megaphonic.fm
November 3, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Episode 80 is live! This time we talked about what #Tolkien viewed as one of his core 'Great Tales' and the one with the most personal resonance, Beren and Lúthien. Plus, cats. Really big cats. Episode art by @vandroidhelsing.bsky.social as ever! megaphonic.fm/bythebywater...
Episode 80 is live! This time we talked about what #Tolkien viewed as one of his core 'Great Tales' and the one with the most personal resonance, Beren and Lúthien. Plus, cats. Really big cats. Episode art by @vandroidhelsing.bsky.social as ever! megaphonic.fm/bythebywater...
80. What If This Housecat Was Actually Really Big? | By-The-Bywater
On Beren and Lúthien.
megaphonic.fm
November 3, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Episode 80 is live! This time we talked about what #Tolkien viewed as one of his core 'Great Tales' and the one with the most personal resonance, Beren and Lúthien. Plus, cats. Really big cats. Episode art by @vandroidhelsing.bsky.social as ever! megaphonic.fm/bythebywater...
Quick heads up that the newest episode will drop tomorrow!
talking about Beren and Lúthien next time on @bythebywater.bsky.social (and since it’s October I drew their scary forms)
November 2, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Quick heads up that the newest episode will drop tomorrow!
Yup.
Let’s be real: approximately ten seconds after you told Tolkien that Catholics couldn’t go to Mass because they were afraid of being disappeared by agents of the government, he’d be out there protesting.
October 29, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Yup.
Reposted by By-the-Bywater
after reading the peter thiel biography for our @bythebywater.bsky.social episode about silicon valley misreading tolkien i have been wondering if all this shit even works but now i feel like they know it doesn't actually work and see that as a feature, not a bug
New: Videos show ICE/CBP agents are scanning peoples' faces on the street to verify citizenship. ICE has tool to instantly look up unprecedented number of databases with just a photo
“I’m an American citizen so leave me alone”
“Alright, we just got to verify that”
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
“I’m an American citizen so leave me alone”
“Alright, we just got to verify that”
www.404media.co/ice-and-cbp-...
ICE and CBP Agents Are Scanning Peoples’ Faces on the Street To Verify Citizenship
Videos on social media show officers from ICE and CBP using facial recognition technology on people in the field. One expert described the practice as “pure dystopian creep.”
www.404media.co
October 29, 2025 at 4:54 PM
after reading the peter thiel biography for our @bythebywater.bsky.social episode about silicon valley misreading tolkien i have been wondering if all this shit even works but now i feel like they know it doesn't actually work and see that as a feature, not a bug
Reposted by By-the-Bywater
we've talked for hours and hours on @bythebywater.bsky.social about tolkien and race, tolkien and women—dude was not exactly progressive. but he was very much opposed to fascism and imperialism and i refuse to cede his work to orcs
October 29, 2025 at 3:38 PM
we've talked for hours and hours on @bythebywater.bsky.social about tolkien and race, tolkien and women—dude was not exactly progressive. but he was very much opposed to fascism and imperialism and i refuse to cede his work to orcs