371 – When Dwarves Cry

A deep dive into Tolkien’s oldest stories about the Dwarves uncovers all sorts of interesting details, as Alan hands the reins of the PPP to Sara for her expertise on the Dwarves. Join The Man of the West and The Shieldmaiden of Rohan as we explore the origin, awakening, culture, and language of Tolkien’s Dwarves as we take a sidebar into several volumes of The History of Middle-earth. From their early nature as evil creatures, to the fact that they all — women and babies, too — have beards, learn more about the Dwarves than you ever thought you could. Alan and Sara discuss recession-proof industries, dutifully avoid Disney jokes and figure Durin must have asked Aulë: “How could you just leave me standing alone in a world so cold?” Also, Sneezy and Bashful were the hardest.

Recommended Reading


The Silmarillion
Tolkien, J. R. R. (Christopher Tolkien, ed.) (William Morrow paperback)

The Peoples of Middle-earth
Tolkien, J. R. R. (Christopher Tolkien, ed.) (Harper Collins, paperback)

The War of the Jewels
Tolkien, J. R. R. (Christopher Tolkien, ed.) (Houghton Mifflin, paperback)

The Book of Lost Tales Part One
Tolkien, J. R. R. (Christopher Tolkien, ed.) (Del Rey, paperback)

The Book of Lost Tales Part Two
Tolkien, J. R. R. (Christopher Tolkien, ed.) (William Morrow, paperback)

The Nature of Middle-earth
Tolkien, J. R. R. (Carl F Hostetter, ed.) (William Morrow, hardcover)

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