Resources

This is a running resource of the books/articles I’ve used, referred to, or would recommend reading! There will also be links to cool things I’ve enjoyed or done, so keep checking back.

Books

Flora of Middle-earth - Walter S. Judd and Graham Judd

The starting point I’d recommend for everyone who wants to explore plants in Middle-earth! I have my gripes about it, which I’ll probably write about in future, but it’s as solid a basis as you could want.

The Plants of Middle-earth: Botany and Sub-creation - Dinah Hazell

A short and sweet little book with some great insights about Tolkien’s plants and some of their real-world folklore.

Flowers of the Field - C.A. Johns

According to Scull and Hammond’s J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide, Tolkien wrote in a letter (not published) to Miss E. Byrne that this was one of his most treasured volumes, being a guide to British wild flowers. It’s relatively common second-hand if you want a copy of your own!

Queer Tolkien

Queer Lodgings Podcast Episode on Ace Readings of Tolkien

My friends at the Queer Lodgings podcast invited me and my partner to come and talk about asexuality in Tolkien and we had a really lovely time! Check out the rest of their episodes too for more Tolkien Queerness.

The Mariner (and his wife) - Mythopoeic Society Online Midwinter Seminar Paper

I presented a paper on a reading of Aldarion (Unfinished Tales) as asexual at this year’s Online Midwinter Seminar, an awesome two-day event with all sorts of queer perspectives on fantasy, not just about Tolkien! I was sharing a panel with the excellent Robin of Writing From Ithilien, who spoke about intersectionality in Victoria Goddard’s work.