Russia loves Tolkien. The first officially translated edition of The Hobbit was released there in 1976 and has stayed in print there ever since (note: Tolkien’s works circulated there unofficially for years in samizdat) and not only that, it was Russia that attempted the first live-action movies of both The Hobbit and the The Lord …
Since I’ve been reading The Silmarillion, I thought I’d generate some names of Elven women, or as Tolkien might put it, elf-maids. Elf names all meant something in the languages he created – he was a linguist after all. In the text of the book they are explained to you, and defined again in the …
Since reading The Lost Gospel I became of a mind to create some mythical Biblical peoples. Like, you know, the Sodomites, who famously gave their name to the art of buggery. Everyone who took a bible class, even as a small child, knows that story: evil Sodom and Gomorrah are to be destroyed by God …
How did a sweet, delectable Polish doughnut called paczki, whom most people have never heard of, come to be sold in supermarkets in the weeks before Mardi Gras? Paczkis (pronounced Poon-chshee) are a traditional Polish treat made to use up all the extra flour, sugar, and eggs in the weeks before Lent, as a last …
My fascination with Korea continues into this new year of 2025. Pictured above is the South Korean rugby team OK Man, or OK Man Financial Group. Rugby is a specialty sport imported from England that has gained an increasing following in South Korea, where teams are sponsored by companies, colleges, even the military forces. (In …
Selection of my favorite Twittersnip magic spells of the year 2024, chosen from my X feed. 2024 Magic Spells (Best of) Amphibian Trailblazer: The mage can lay down an invisible trail for others to follow over both land and water. Claws of the Peacock: Curse that makes a character overly concerned with their attractiveness …
A blast from the past! Past years, that is, of random Christmas names for songs, scents, foods, and characters. Randomgen Christmas names from years past Species of Santa German Christmas Cookies Christmas Traditions Around the World Christmas Cocktails The Best of Twittersnips (Christmas) Christmas Songs Christmas Characters Christmas Scents Santa’s Elves Santa’s Bad Elves …
Since I just finished watching The Rings of Power on Amazon, and am also reading Tolkien’s compilation The Fall of Numenor, I’ve a mind to talk about Tolkien’s Wizards. First off, there weren’t that many of them. There are only three as characters in the main trilogy: Gandalf the Grey, Saruman the White, and Radagast …
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