Archive · 22 Sep 2026
J.R.R. Tolkien Read His Own Stories Before Audiobooks
Before audiobooks became common, J.R.R. Tolkien recorded himself reading aloud.
His first recording was unusual because he read the Lord’s Prayer in Gothic.
Gothic was an ancient Germanic language that he enjoyed.
Tolkien joked that the new recording machine might contain a devil.
He liked the experiment and continued recording.
He read parts of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
The Lord of the Rings manuscript had not yet been published at the time.
In one recording, he even acted as a character from “Riddles in the Dark.”
Tolkien began recording himself by reading the Lord’s Prayer in Gothic.
He joked that he should cast out any devil hiding inside the new machine.
The experiment encouraged him to record passages from The Hobbit.
He also read from the then-unpublished manuscript of The Lord of the Rings.
In “Riddles in the Dark,” Tolkien performed one of his own characters.
- Who
- J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
- What
- Tolkien recorded himself reading religious text and passages from his own stories, including a character performance.
- When
- Before audiobooks became widespread; the exact date is not stated.
- Why
- He experimented with a new recording machine and continued after enjoying the first recording.
- First recording
- Tolkien read the Lord’s Prayer in Gothic.
- Language
- Gothic, an ancient Germanic language.
- First reaction
- Tolkien joked about casting out a devil from the new machine.
- Recorded work
- The Hobbit.
- Unpublished material
- A manuscript of The Lord of the Rings.
- Notable excerpt
- The Hobbit’s “Riddles in the Dark” chapter.
- Performance detail
- Tolkien performed one of his own characters.