Smaug the Magnificent! (and a dragon’s claw pipe) 

Using a train ticket as a bookmark is pretty much the most British thing I've seen all day.

"They cover the tin with horrible pictures of people's interiors, to put you off" this fellow is a gem!

the fact this guy is surrounded by books brings me so much joy

I never comment on videos but here we go. For the past couple of weeks I've been struggling to work, eat, sleep, leave the house, go to school, or do much of anything without overwhelming dread and anxiety driving me back into a paralyzed stasis. Just the day before yesterday I was watching the fuel gauge on my car slowly go down and even so little a thing drove me into a panic intense enough that I had to pull over to regain control of my breathing. The dearest person in the world to me has been going through serious medical struggles for months now and I don't know when they'll be better. It's been getting dire. Tolkien's works have always been my favorite and I've reread them more times than I can count but the relentless pace of life and my own spiritual troubles slowly drew me away from the things and people I love. I found your channel recently when a good friend sent me the video of you firing that exquisite one of a kind pipe and reading some Tolkien to go with it. Your talk about pipe smoking as a way to slow down and regain that intimacy with your immediate surroundings really helped me. I don't smoke or drink but reading has always been my antidote to anxiety so I decided to start with something I already knew and returned to The Lord of the Rings. I had almost forgotten how effortlessly the story transports you to its world and makes you feel truly immersed in it. Tolkien, more than any other author I've read, shows through his stories the fundamental goodness of humanity and of the world. The beauty of nature, the comforts of home, the bonds of love, and the bravery in the face of all the horror and pain that is also there. And the greatest thing is, it's honest. It isn't a shallow escapist story like so many people think. There's real darkness in it too, the kind that we all must face in our lives one way or another. The way Tolkien describes men coming undone at the seams under the pressure of war during the siege of Gondor reflects a deep intimacy with such darkness, but he describes the eventual victory over evil with just as much truth and conviction. It shows that there is no depth to which the human soul may sink which it cannot again rise from. It renews my faith in the world and in myself. Your channel catalyzed my decision to return to the things I love and give myself time to heal. My rosary has long gone unused but I've even started picking it up again. Things are still not ideal but I can see a way forward now. I went on a walk today and felt better than I have in a long time. It's the first time in weeks I've gone outside without some kind of incident. All of this is to say thank you for making the things you make. I hope to one day be as serene and at peace as you (and to have such a nice study if I'm ever able to afford a house).

A fun fact, I’m a bricklayer based in Oxford and have been fortunate enough to work at Tolkien’s house in Northmoor road where he wrote the books. For a client who has bought this listed house as a home. I believe it was intended to be purchased by LOTR fans but not enough money could be raised to turn it into a Tolkien museum… needless to say during renovation and demolition (within grade 2 listed building act in England rules) I did take 1 brick home as a souvenir for my husband whom is an author and like me a HUGE Tolkien fan. Thank you Malcom

I am a 35 year old woman from California, probably not your target audience, as it were. And yet, watching your videos is like coming home. The comfort and joy your voice and thoughts bring me is invaluable, thank you for spreading your love of literature and English/western history with the world! ❤

I didnt think this level of cosiness was still allowed in Britain today. However its just what I need in my life just now. So subscribed ✌️

Can't wait to get home and watch this after dinner. My wife and I thoroughly enjoy spending some evening time with Pastor Malcolm.

These videos are such a treasure. I wish to hoard them - much like a dragon would.

In 25 years when I'm older I hope I'm remotely like this gentleman.. This is the greatest video I've seen today.

What makes Bilbo so noble is not that he is fearless but that his devotion to others helps him tap into a courage he didn't know he had. It really is more than "just a story." Thank you for reminding me. Blessings to you and yours, Malcolm.

Emergency Hobbit! 😂

I’m so glad the RU-vid algorithms brought you my way this week. I get so much out of these videos of yours.

I am reminded of my late father reading to me the hobbit, Homer and other gems he was a cooper a simple man but introduced me to literature at a very young age. I dearly miss him.

A fluke of chance had us in Oxford when the Tolkien exhibition was on. It was a pleasure gazing upon the illustrations painted by his own hand. That particular one of Smaug with a tiny Bilbo has always been one of my favourites. Thank you again Sir.

If you read the entire book I would watch every second! Love the wonderful passionate content kind sir.

" we need smaug himself" 😂😂 good one. Im a fresh subscriber here. Young fellow who got into pipe smoking a few years back. I'm 31 it is refreshing to see a soul such as yourself sir. Sometimes with all the crazy in the world i forget the many many womderful souls that still exists out there. Have a happy one and god bless

I loved your take at the very end, about the effect of fantastical stories on children. Terry Pratchett had a similar view. Stories don't tell children that monsters exist; they already know that. Stories teach children that monsters can be defeated.

I’ve recently discovered this channel just a few days ago, I absolutely love it and as a result I’ve started listening to the hobbit on audiobook for the first time and shortly to be followed by LOTR

My god... this is so wholesome and reminds mehow beautifully well Tolkein wrote. This channel feels like a warm bath. I love this.

This reading took me back to my father reading the Hobbit to me as a bedtime story and the wonder I felt as a young boy. Your closing remarks, however, were a refreshing encouragement to me now as a graduate student taking on the “dragon” that is my Master’s Thesis. Thank you, kindly.

I must confess that finding your channel on youtube tonight has been one of the most exquisite moments of serendipity in my recent memory. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for creating such heart and hearth warming content. Much respect from the land down under

First time watching this channel. This must be what people get from ASMR. Something very comforting about everything in this video

The concept of an emergency Hobbit is really exceptional.

That’s a beautiful pipe. Thank you for reading that passage for us Malcom. I recently purchased your book of poems, “Sounding the Seasons”. I love it. I highly recommend it to anyone reading this.

Our book club had just had an evening of pipes, and Beowulf by a warm fire and whiskey! Thankful for Tolkien’s translation of the timeless work, and how he brings out the many themes of Beowulf in the Hobbit and Lord of The Rings.

Some of the best writing ever, and read beautifully. Thank you! I enjoyed this with my pipe today

What a legend! Imagine every family had a grandad like this gentleman what an enlightened and literarily rich upbringing the youth would have. RU-vid the next best thing! Enjoy the company of this special individual.

I’ve literally no idea how RU-vid’s algorithms sent me to your channel, but it’s the best find ever! Keep up this amazing channel.

Malcolm, you are a treasure to us all. I have wanted to tell you here that your office chats you recorded all through the Covid Troubles brought so much wonder, joy, and peace to my young (Tolkien-& -Lewis-loving) son, who was nine years old when the world locked down. It was such a scary time for children, like an invisible war... but there was a respite from the world outside, and beauty for us all in your warm office that you generously welcomed us into. You won't know til heaven how many lives you have touched doing this. Thank you so much for blessing us, just by being your dear self. Maybe we'll get to meet you one day! God bless you. -The Parker family in Texas. P.S. I think all would agree we must have someone compile these study chats into a dvd or download we can purchase! :)

For us who discovered Tolkien at a young age, and became totally immersed in his mythology, I’m so grateful andI appreciate your ramblings.

Tolkien, poetry and pipe weed smoking? You have me all day, everyday Malcom

It was not easy to find Kendal Black Cherry in stock but was able to find a few days after your last mention of it. Looking forward to enjoying some.

Petition to have this man read all the lord of the rings book 🥺👇

The cameraman for this channel deserves some sort of award…❤. What a delightful channel.

What a wonderful part of that book. The treasure was just an after thought. His courage was the story. Well read.

His love of the halfling"s leaf has clearly NOT slowed his mind.

This man is my new favourite content creator, as a pipe smoker and a big LOTR fan it's perfect. He also sounds like Moriarty from game of shadows with RDJ

Such a wonderful book, I read and enjoy it every year. So many great sayings given by Bilbo, “home in my nice hole by the fire, with the kettle just beginning to sing!" It was not the last time that he wished that!” Thanks for today’s reading Malcolm!

i dont know why i needed this channel, but thank you. truly.

This channel is fantastic. I love Tolkein and this channel helps me slow down in otherwise frantic times. I found this channel by happy accident in my feed.

This channel is brilliant! You remind me of my grandfather who was a great pipe smoker and reader of classics. Keep up the awesome work!

Thank you for this. What a great video. I truly enjoyed it and will be looking for other videos of yours. It was a real treat while smoking my own pipe.

I just subscribed to your channel today; and as soon as I saw the name "Smaug" mentioned, this video HAD to be watched! Beautiful pipe, charming voice, wonderful reading and intriguing thought on Tolkien's fascination of dragons and love of pipe smoking... I can now hear my favorite line of Smaug's from the Peter Jackson films, delivered by Benedict Cumberbatch's chilling voice, "DO YOU THINK FLATTERY WILL KEEP YOU ALIVE?" lol 🔥🐉

There’s something about these videos, I wish I would have found you sooner! Great work! God bless and thank you 🙏

Subscribed. What a wonderful video. Pleasant.

I love the way you make us feel so welcome in your office and telling us story, make me feel I'm sure others as well that we are sitting with you listening those story while enjoying a good pipe with you my good Sir. Discover this channel a week ago and I just been watching so many of them. Thank you so much Mr. Guite

Know that Im sharing a pipe with you on every video. Ive been writing stories for Dungeons and Dragons for about 30 years now and your videos just fill a niche that no other channel does for me. Cheers Malcolm!

this man is unphased by the unsettling pictures on the wrappers. absolute legend.

I believe the story of Myrddin Emrys and the red and white "serpents" beneath Vortigern's fortress was my first literary encounter with dragons. I was seven years old at the time, and I've never forgotten the accompanying Frank Godwin illustration of the battling serpents. (It was also my first encounter with Merlin.) Still, I would count Smaug to be my first "true" dragon tale. I was ten or eleven, and, like you, found it wonderful. Hearing it again read aloud inspired me to get out my own "green volume" and reread it and appreciate your observation about facing our dragons.That said it also stirred another rather darker "dragon" memory. When C. Tolkien published The Silmarillion in 1977, I clearly remember reading the decidedly grimmer tale of Túrin Turambar and the fire-drake Glaurung. I recall being both fascinated and repelled. Smaug was definitely a "bad guy," but the Professor was mindful of his audience and kept their children's tale sensibilities in mind as he wrote about the serpent. Glaurung, on the other hand, was in no uncertain terms a serious force of malicious evil and came across as such in a far darker and heavier treatment than was accorded to Smaug the Golden. Though the Professor delighted in the beasties, he had definite ideas about where they fell out on the moral spectrum. Thanks for evocation 😊.

Thank you for bringing us along into your study, even if just for a few minutes. A safe and cozy place, indeed.

Oh that smell of pipe reminds me my dad when he used to smoke tabacco. Please save me one of your tobacco tin Sir! I shall proudly use as my box for pastels. I'm an artist living in Scotland and l do paint landscapes :) I'm addicted to sit with my smoky Lagavulin or Talisker and listening to your wonderful podcasts! Greetings from Scottish Islands :)

As a fellow pipe smoker who also don’t like the innards that come with the package I have found a good alternative. I put the tobacco in glass jars that you usually use for jams and the like (with the rubber seal between the lid and the jar) and I throw in a small humidifying pouch that you can buy for humidors. Ikea sells these jars pre painted to avoid sunlight. Just a tip for those of you who are looking for a good alternative for storing your tobacco!

Bloody hell only just come across your videos but your such a captivating man genuinely could listen to you all day haha all the best mate.

I absolutely love how you do your videos. Your accident the calmness of your demeanor, explaining different pipes/ tobacco and the reading. Thank you. Can't wait to watch more

What a wonderful presentation. I am from Liverpool and in Chinatown they always celebrate the New Chinese New Year, the year of The Dragon in this case and I couldn't help but let my mind wander while I was listening to that. Many Thanks Sir.

Im so glad i found your channel smaug is the best character in middle earth in my opinion

My pop used to smoke pipe, I followed suit back in 1998. I gave up smoking my pipe back in 2000 and still to this day I can smell the amphora tobacco in the bell. When I lit the baccy I always used Seadog matches. Love your baccy pipes

Thank you! You're mentioning the influence of the Great War on Tolkien reminded me of the book, A Hobbit, a Wardrobe and a Great War, by J. Loconte, PhD

First time here. What a warm and cosy channel. 😊 I love how the camera welcomes us into your home. You remind me of the late Bob Ross. Thanks for bringing joy to people's lives and keeping the spirit of Tolkien alive.

恭喜發財! Happy Year of the Dragon, Shrove Tuesday, Carnival and whatever else it is today!

I'm getting back into pipes because of you, sir! Many thanks!

I know not how I came by these roads, but from the windowless gaze of the RU-vid, I have been brought to such a mystical and magical place. You've earned another follow, sir! I feel alive in the presence, and spirit, of Tolkien himself! Would love to hear you discuss more of his storied works, and legendary art!

Thank you Malcolm for the brilliant content you create. It is so lovely to hear you talk about my favourite writers like Tolkien and Dante with such warmth, wonder, and beauty. Not to mention the deep desire for me to take up pipe smoking which your passion has germinated within me.

Always a pleasure to hear a master story teller reading a master story writer. May your pipe always glow red and taste sublime.

I've just discovered your channel by a happy chance and I already adore the way you tell stories. You remind me a lot of my grandfather who would share tales of his younger years, his days in Madrid and even the holiday he spent with my father in Scotland in '04. There is passion and joy in every word you speak and it is completely infectious. I'm eager to watch more of your videos. An enthusiastic 'hullo' from western Canada!

Thank you Malcom. Another amazing reading. Absolutely love the pipe.

Enjoying your reading and reflections tonight, along with a briar-full of 4th Generation 1957 blend. Sláinte, good sir. 🍻

It is very refreshing to find a kindred spirit these days, I’m a young man of 29 and in general I lean towards poetry, literature, brandy and cigars. There’s not many channels out there that I can sit back and enjoy, and seeing Malcom here has made me realise that I’ve always been a bit of an old head and have recently decided to embrace it, somewhat accidentally. A long day at work and some alone time is now that little bit more relaxing because it feels as if I can smoke my cheroot with someone who enjoys the things I do. It’s not something I’ve found in the real world yet… and when I do I think I’m still going to enjoy the sound of my man here reading and puffing away

Marvelous. I can smell the scent of tobacco and feel the heat of the dragon’s dungeon. Thanks for sharing.

Glad you’re showcasing your pipe smoking Reverend. I think we must plan a grand pipe and scotch party one of these days to celebrate the two wonderful pastimes. Best wishes

So glad I found this channel. My life is now complete. Thanks Malcolm. Keep going!!!

Just discovered your channel, love it! Cheers from Oklahoma.

Watching your videos is like spending time with a real hobbit in the Shire and provides such a delightful comfort and peace I can't really describe. I love everything about these videos, and I couldn't even tell you exactly why, but for the love of all humanity keep making them.

I love the way this was written. I have absolutely no use for dragon guarded treasures…. Is one of my favorites especially the way you read it.

Watching and listening to you is very atmospheric, calming, beautifully promoting the aesthetics of pipe smoking, plus I teach beautiful spoken English with the help of your videos

I would just like to say that I really enjoy your videos Malcom. Ever since I read the lion the witch and the wardrobe in jr. high school I’ve had a love of English storytelling. I always wanted to stop by the professors study and sit and hear great stories. Your videos in some ways remind me of long talks with my grandfather as a child. He was a half Scottish half Muskogee man born in the blue ridge back in the 30’s. I really enjoyed your conversation with Dr. Alan harlson about how the music and culture of the American south has roots in Scotland.

If I'm ever in the UK, I would love to meet and have a convo over a pipe. Your channel has quickly become a wonderful time. Thank you, sir, for your content

A haiku's on Lagavulin's destructive yet aromatic affect on my insides: Lagavulin's fire - Smoky warmth ignites my core - Whisky's fierce desire

This is by far and away my favourite channel Malcolm. So fun, informative and entertaining. 😁 Lagavulin is my favourite malt, but unfortunately the price hikes due to a shortage after the increase in sales during Covid have meant that it’s a little over priced. Thank heavens for Caol Ila. All the best, Chris.

You've inspired me to call up the Hobbit audio book and revisit while I am driving home from work. Bilbo has just acquired the ring and bested Golom

I’d watch a hour long version of this every night until I die. If we can make that happen I would be so grateful.

If I was to ever set foot in this room without you in it.. the first thing I would think would be - "ahh, yes.. this is a room of a very interesting person. No doubt". And I would be right ;) 9/10 times you can tell immediately. I bet it smells quite lovely, too. Thank You for the video.

Im so happy to have found your channel Malcolm. It’s so wonderful listening to you talk about these stories. Drinking my favourite whiskey here also 🥃. This has fast become my favourite RU-vid channel. You really are doing something magical here ♥️

One of the things I miss about university is going to a professor's office hours and seeing their book caves (aka office). I have really binged all your videos these past couple of days and I think it is because they are scratching that itch.

Love the pipe information at the beginning, I will light my pipe up with you sir!

Your review and parting words in the last 2 minutes were so elegantly told with such heartfelt warm really ties the bow on this video. Amazing reading of an amazing piece of work!

I read a lot of books and have many more to get done this year. I can’t wait to get my new pipe and tobacco later this week thanks to you inspiring me!

like many others I have discovered your channel in the past week, and I am so very glad that I did. Your videos bring me back to my childhood, listening to my grandfather talk about whatever he wanted to talk about and just taking it all in.

Love your genuine spirit!

An absolute gem of a channel stumbled upon by pure chance one Wednesday evening. I can almost smell the pipe smoke and musty books.

This channel is so entertaining. 👍

Intelligent, sophisticated, and entertaining. Couldn't ask for a better way to end my night than with a Malcolm Guite video. Bravo friend, please keep them coming!

As a native of North Carolina, here in America, I've grown up around tobacco. My brothers and I have vowed not to smoke, but we always love the smell of curing tobacco. Absolutely lovely. Sticky plants though.

I'm so glad you were in my recommended section. Just discovered your channel this morning and I already feel at home watching your videos. Thank you for giving us all some warmth in these rather cold times.

This is definitely a protect at all costs kinda of guy. So sweet, smart and entertaining. Great job on the videos

I love spending time with you in the study, and the stories. I share my thoughts and stories from my porch or my woods... It is self-healing to slow down and enjoy the good life of a pipe and some simple wisdom. 🤠

"But rising from the near side of the rocky floor there was a great glow. The glow of Smaug" one of my most favourite lines from my favourite book. I'll never forget the feeling I had when I read that as a kid for the first time. Because whenever I read the Hobbit now I'm that little boy again. Thank you for reading the part!

It all makes me smile.... thank you❤

get this gentleman to 100k!