About Tolkien Pop!
Welcome to Tolkien Pop! - an online community that celebrates the intersection of Tolkien and pop culture. From your favorite television series to literal stars, this is a place for you to explore and discuss how the Professor, as he is so endearingly called, has found his way into the wider world of popular culture today. If you would like to accompany a fellowship of Tolkien nerds who also extend their fan obsessions beyond the shores of Middle-earth, we would love to have you!
Tolkien Pop! publishes a biweekly article about a Tolkien-related TV episode, meme, YouTube video, song etc. and a monthly article on a bigger work like a movie or book. For those who financially support the project, there will be additional events and privileges - including your suggestions on what pop cultural artifact an article will be about and Zoom roundtables where we can all nerd out about anything and everything in between the pop culture zeitgeist!
About Nick
To ensure that there are no conspiracies to unmask, I’d like to properly introduce myself, give you some insight into my interests, and risk a little light on why I’ve decided to start Tolkien Pop!
I am a budding English educator with a background in religious education. As you can see in the picture above, I have a history of putting my favorite topics into conversation with elements of pop culture. When introducing myself, I tell people the three main things I nerd out about are 1) Tolkien, 2) punk, and 3) coffee. All of which would be great fun to spend extensive amounts of time talking about with you!
Currently, much of my nerd muscles are spent conducting research into the realm of Tolkien Studies with various digressions scattered along the way. I serve as the Production Editor of Mallorn, the academic journal of The Tolkien Society. If you are curious about what the Society is all about and interested in becoming a member, click here!
Many of us hold deep passions for many different things, but have limited people to share those passions with - at least those who genuinely want to listen! It is my hope that this space provides you with a group of people that embraces your nerdy passions with excitement and that you possibly geek out on some new things. I am glad you’re here and cannot wait to discuss the vast horizon that is pop culture with you!
Why Subscribe?
1) There are three choices for paid subscriptions: Monthly ($5 each month), Yearly ($50 per year), or as a Popular Member ($100 per year). Benefits for all three levels of paid subscriptions are the same - biweekly articles, monthly articles, full archive access, occasional online chats, and Tolkien Pop! swag:
A monthly Zoom roundtable
Subscriber-suggested posts
Sneak peeks at my work-in-progress (novels, research, online classes etc.)
Popular Members are those who want to support others who cannot pay, and who contribute an extra gift toward the costs of creating the new offerings.
2) Free subscriptions include about 3 posts a month. You will also be able to comment on free posts, have partial archive access, and participate in occasional open chats.
3) No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Contact me directly at njspolk@gmail.com
My book Tolkien and Pop Culture: Volume I is now available on Amazon! This book is a selection of my Substack posts from the past couple of years, cleaned up, and formatted for publication. For the first time, you can get all these essays in print or in your Kindle library. It’ll look great on your shelf and be available for your own Tolkien purposes! Use the QR or the link to pre-order your copy: https://a.co/d/eBE7jiH
The Tolkien Pop! Library
Here you will find links to books by and about J.R.R. Tolkien, those that have been reviewed on feed, and those from my own personal library - along with other various Tolkien-related media. If you’re a reader like me then I know that your shelves are always in need of more books - even if they aren’t! Discover new books and Tolkien media to deepen your Tolkien experience. Every purchase you make gives a little kickback to Tolkien Pop! so thank you.
The Wisdom of Hobbits: Unearthing Our Humanity at 3 Bagshot Row by Matthew J. Distefano
Mimetic Theory & Middle-earth: Untangling Desire in Tolkien’s Legendarium by Matthew J. Distefano
The Death of Omnipotence and Birth of Amipotence by Thomas Jay Oord
Certainty Kills by Bruce Pagano II
The Annotated Hobbit edited by Douglas A. Anderson
The Lord of the Rings 3-Book Paperback Box Set
The History of The Hobbit edited by John D. Rateliff
The Histories of Middle-earth, 1-5 Paperback
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