News archive

16th March 2026: Remembering J.S. Ryan

J.S. Ryan, scholar, and student under J.R.R. Tolkien at Merton College, passed away in July 2022.

An obituary by Elizabeth Hale was published in VII: Journal of the Marion E. Wade Center, Vol. 41 (2025), pp. 5-6 (available as pdf here).

A shorter obituary was published on the Tolkien and Fantasy blog (original here, pdf version here).

A further obituary with tributes was published by Pulse news (original here, pdf version here).

Ryan and Walking Tree Publishers

Two of Ryan's works on Tolkien scholarship are published by Walking Tree Publishers:

Tolkien's View: Windows into his World (2009)

and

In the Nameless Wood: Explorations in the Philological Hinterland of Tolkien's Literary Creations (2013)

(to link to this announcement: http://www.walking-tree.org/authors/rip-j-s-ryan.php )

13th March 2026: Theologians reviewed in JTR

A review by Tom Emanuel of the University of Glasgow of Tolkien among the Theologians has been published in Journal of Tolkien Research Volume 23 Issue 1.

The review can be read here (pdf) on the website of the Journal of Tolkien Research

(to link to this announcement: http://www.walking-tree.org/news_archive.php?item=255 )

26th February 2026: New book - Arda Notebooks, The Best of I Quaderni di Arda

Arda Notebooks, The Best of I Quaderni di Arda edited by Roberto Arduini, Claudio A. Testi and Wu Ming, is now published.

This volume brings together a selection of articles published in the first three issues of Quaderni di Arda: Rivista di studi tolkieniani e mondi fantastici, edited by the Italian Association of Tolkienian Studies (AIST – Associazione Italiana Studi Tolkieniani). Its editorial board consists of independent and self-taught scholars from various professional backgrounds and the creation of Quaderni di Arda marks the culmination of nearly two decades of work that has revitalized Tolkien studies in Italy, positioning itself as a crossroads between the academic world and fandom.

table of contents | abstracts | cover | announcements | more

(to link to this announcement: http://www.walking-tree.org/news_archive.php?item=254 )

22nd February 2026: Tolkien Conference Switzerland 14.3.26

Walking Tree Publsihers are pleased to announce their participation in the upcoming Tolkien Conference Switzerland, to be held in Zurich, Switzerland on Saturday, March 14, 2026.

The second Tolkien Conference Switzerland, organized by the University of Zurich, the University of Lausanne, and Friedrich Schiller University Jena, will take place on Saturday, March 14, 2026, once again at the University of Zurich as a hybrid conference.

The 2026 topic is: 'Leadership in Tolkien's Middle-earth'. We have already confirmed several international high-profile speakers.

As part of the supporting program, the two podcasters from 'Typisch Ravenclaw' will analyze and compare political systems in Middle-earth based on The Economist's Democracy Index in a live podcast (tbc).

The event is sponsored by

Prof. Dr. Christine Lötscher (Populäre Kulturen, ISEK – Institut für Sozialanthropologie und Empirische Kulturwissenschaft, University of Zurich)

Funding: Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences (SAGW).

And Walking Tree Publishers.

Additionally We’re delighted to welcome Lauterbrunnen Tourism as a supporter of the 2026 Tolkien Conference in Zürich. With 72 waterfalls, sheer cliffs, and alpine meadows, the Lauterbrunnental helped shape Tolkien’s vision of Rivendell during his 1911 journey, making it a natural partner for celebrating Middle-earth’s Swiss roots. Read more about why Lauterbrunnen is considered 100% Tolkien here.

Read more on tolkien-tagung.ch.

Timeline of talks here.

Location: University of Zürich, Alte Kantonsschule (Kleine Aula), Rämistr. 59, 8001 Zürich

(to link to this announcement: http://www.walking-tree.org/conference/26_zurich.php )

22nd February 2026: Reviews in Inklings Jahrbuch

Inklings-Jahrbuch für Literatur und Ästhetik 39 has published four reviews of our books. These reviews are by Thomas Fornet Ponse and shared here with kind permission.

- Sub-creating Arda: World-building in J.R.R. Tolkien's Works, its Precursors, and Legacies
- Tolkien and the Classics
- Middle-earth or There and Back Again
- The Gallant Edith Bratt

See all reviews of our books.

(to link to this announcement: http://www.walking-tree.org/news_archive.php?item=252 )

22nd February 2026: Two reviews of Theologians

Two reviews of Tolkien among the Theologians have been published.

A review by David Llewellyn Dodds was published in Lembas 211 (September 2025). The review is available in Dutch (pdf) and kindly translated into English by Jan van Breda here.

The volume was also reviewed by Pauline Fleck for Beyond Bree (November 2025 edition). The review can be read here (pdf).

See all reviews of this volume.

(to link to this announcement: http://www.walking-tree.org/news_archive.php?item=251 )

22nd February 2026: Review in Rice Magazine

Celebrating Tolkien's Legacy has been reviewed in Rice Magazine, Fall 2025, p 68.

(Click to enlarge)

See all reviews of this volume.

(to link to this announcement: http://www.walking-tree.org/news_archive.php?item=250 )

22nd February 2026: Fafnir publishes two reviews

Fafnir, (in its edition Vol. 12 No. 2/2025 has reviewed two of our books.

The Songs of the Spheres: Lewis, Tolkien and the Overlapping Realms of their Imagination is reviewed by Andrea Valeiras of Universidade da Coruña here.

Review of Germanic Heroes, Courage, and Fate: Northern Narratives of Tolkien’s Legendarium is reviewed by Natalie Hopwood of the University of Leeds here.

These review links take you to the website of Fafnir.

See all reviews of Songs of the Spheres.
See all reviews of Germanic Heroes.

(to link to this announcement: http://www.walking-tree.org/news_archive.php?item=249 )

30th October 2025: The Romantic Spirit reviewed in Journal of Tolkien Research

The Romantic Spirit in the Works of J.R.R. Tolkien has been reviewed by Deidre A. Dawson in Journal of Inklings Studies, Vol. 22: Iss. 2 (Article 1).