About the read-along
Read Along with Frodo offers two structured plans for reading through The Lord of the Rings day by day. Whether you are discovering the book for the first time or returning to Middle-earth, choose the order that suits you.
Chronological order
Chronological order is a new way to experience The Lord of the Rings. It allows you to follow the characters’ stories in real time, day by day. As their paths separate and meet again, the daily readings move between storylines, allowing you to live through what is happening across Middle-earth on each date just as the characters do. Some days have several readings, others have none. The Journey shows where all the travellers are along the way.
This approach is designed for readers who already know the book. Moving between storylines reveals some events earlier than a conventional reading would. If this is your first time reading The Lord of the Rings, I recommend you read in Book order, the way Tolkien intended.
September 14 through July 26 annually
Book order
Read The Lord of the Rings the way Tolkien wrote it. The text is divided into roughly equal daily portions at natural stopping points, with brief breaks between the six books to rest or catch up. Book order is strongly recommended for first-time readers.
September 22 through March 25 annually
Reading your way
In either order, page numbers for your selected edition and the starting and ending lines help you find each passage. Audiobook editions use chapter timestamps instead of page numbers. Mark readings as complete to keep your place, and if you fall behind, you can use Catch Me Up to return to earlier unfinished readings.
You can switch between Chronological and Book order in Settings at any time. Your reading progress is saved separately for each. Display and spoiler settings let you choose exactly what you want to see.
Thomas Beyer
Thomas Beyer has loved the works of Tolkien his whole life and been properly obsessed since Junior High. This project flowed out of that love and an idea from one Grant Beardslee.
Thomas is also a classical school leader and Founder and Fellow of Saint Winefride's Society, a “fellowship” of teachers, learners, and all those who care about truth, goodness, and beauty.
Husband to his beautiful wife Natalie, who supported this project from the beginning, and father to Evie, Penny, and Ezra.
Read Along with Frodo is an independent, non-commercial fan project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Tolkien Estate, Middle-earth Enterprises, or the publishers of J.R.R. Tolkien’s works. The Lord of the Rings and related names and characters are the property of their respective rights holders.
This site is intended as a reading companion and does not reproduce the text of Tolkien’s works.
