The Tolkien Road

Concerning "A Conspiracy Unmasked", Book 1, Chapter 5 of The Lord of the Rings, in which our heroes decide to take a bath and the road less travelled...On this episode, we continue our discussion of The Lord of the Rings with Book1, Chapter 5 of Fellowship, "A Conspiracy Unmasked", in which Frodo, Sam, and Pippin enjoy a warm bath and decide to make their way to Bree via the ominous Old Forest. Chapter 5 stands out as the last “Shire” chapter, the deep breath before the hobbits plunge into epic danger and adventure. As such, it establishes the good things that the hobbits must leave behind in order to carry the Ring to safety. Chapter 5 ends with an account of Frodo’s numinous tower dream, which, although quite enigmatic, seems to hold a great deal of significance for Tolkien based upon its similarities to a pre-Hobbit work of his. Though not a lot of advancing action happens in Chapter 5, there’s still plenty to talk about, as is always the case with Tolkien.Come get lost in Middle-earth and explore the hist

Concerning Book 1 Chapter 4 of The Fellowship of the Ring, “A Shortcut to Mushrooms”...On this episode of The Tolkien Road, we continue our discussion of The Lord of the Rings with Book 1, Chapter 4 of Fellowship, "A Shortcut to Mushrooms." This is a strange chapter. It could be argued that it’s the most uneventful chapter in the whole book, with no major development in plot and not much new information revealed. Nevertheless, Tolkien chose to include it, and so on this episode we consider why he did.  We also examine the development of various characters, including Sam and Farmer Maggot. And on the haiku front, a surprise is unveiled. Come get lost in Middle-earth and explore the history and background of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The Tolkien Road is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.

Concerning Book 1 Chapter 3 of The Fellowship of the Ring, “Three Is Company”... On this episode, we continue our discussion of The Lord of the Rings with Book1, Chapter 3 of Fellowship, Three Is Company. In this chapter, Frodo sets out from Hobbiton and does a whole lot of walking. Of course, he also has a near disastrous run-in with the mysterious black riders and encounters Gildor, a Noldoran Elf of the First Age. Also, thanks to contributions from listeners, we experience a veritable haiku tsunami. I hope you enjoy our discussion.Come get lost in Middle-earth and explore the history and background of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The Tolkien Road is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.

Concerning Book 1 Chapter 2 of The Fellowship of the Ring, “The Shadow of the Past”... On this episode of the Tolkien Road, we continue our discussion of The Lord of the Rings with Chapter 2 of Fellowship, "The Shadow of the Past." While consisting mostly in dialogue, I consider this to be one of the prime examples of why I love Tolkien’s style so much. Along the way we discuss our love of Sam Gamgee and how anyone could possibly not love him, as well as engage in a brief though heated discussion of the literary merits of The Hunger Games. I hope you enjoy our conversation.Please leave us a rating and feedback on iTunes. We’d love to know what you think of The Tolkien Road. Come get lost in Middle-earth and explore the history and background of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien Road is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.

Concerning Book 1 Chapter 1 of The Fellowship of the Ring, “A Long Expected Party”... On this episode of The Tolkien Road, we finally launch into Chapter 1 of The Fellowship of the Ring, "A Long Expected Party". Among other things, we discuss the themes of magic, legend, and locality as they play out in this chapter, as well as the indications that Bilbo’s Ring is more than just a curious artifact. Plus, we do the math on Bilbo's infamous compliment, and determine it was kind of a nice thing to say. I hope you enjoy our conversation. Please leave us a rating and feedback on iTunes. We’d love to know what you think of The Tolkien Road. Come get lost in Middle-earth and explore the history and background of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien Road is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.

On this episode of The Tolkien Road, we examine and discuss Tolkien’s influential essay On Fairy-Stories. While both Greta and I are hungry to start our read-through of The Lord of the Rings, I felt it was important to consider the ideas Tolkien lays out in On Fairy-Stories because of the role they play in The Lord of the Rings. After all, this is the place where he lays out the distinctively Tolkienian concepts of Recovery, Escape, Consolation, Subcreation, and Eucatastrophe. Similarly, he discusses his ideas of how story-telling and the story of Jesus Christ are related. It’s quite beautiful and insightful. I hope you enjoy our discussion.Come get lost in Middle-earth and explore the history and background of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien Road is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.

On this episode of Tolkien Road, we continue with The Lord of the Rings by discussing the Prologue, the section that begins with "Concerning Hobbits." We cover the origin and nature of hobbits, pipeweed, the structure of hobbit society, and Bilbo's little white lie regarding Gollum and the Ring. We also examine the fascinating narrative structure that Tolkien begins to apply in this section.Come get lost in Middle-earth and explore the history and background of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien Road is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.

On this episode of Tolkien Road, we turn to The Lord of the Rings and begin our journey through the Third Age of Middle-earth with Tolkien's foreword to the Second Edition. This is an important section, because in it Tolkien discusses his reasons for writing the book. We’ll also discuss just what he means when he says that The Lord of the Rings is a “fundamentally religious and Catholic work."  Come get lost in Middle-earth and explore the history and background of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien Road is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.

On this episode of Tolkien Road, John & Greta continue their chapter-by-chapter walkthrough of The Silmarillion with the second part of Chapter 9, "Of the Flight of the Noldor", wherein Fëanor leads the Noldor on a hell-bound quest to attack Morgoth and reclaim the Silmarils.  Come get lost in Middle-earth and explore the history and background of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien Road is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.

On this episode of Tolkien Road, John & Greta continue their chapter-by-chapter walkthrough of The Silmarillion with the first part of Chapter 9, "Of the Flight of the Noldor", wherein the Valar must determine what to do after the attack on the Two Trees. We also look at Melkor’s next steps, and what becomes of his partnership with Ungoliant. Come get lost in Middle-earth and explore the history and background of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien Road is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.

Welcome to the 17th episode of The Tolkien Road podcast (formerly known as Talking Tolkien). On this episode, John & Greta continue their chapter-by-chapter walkthrough of The Silmarillion with Chapter 8, Of the Darkening of Valinor, wherein Melkor and the giant spider Ungoliant throw the Blessed Realm into overwhelming darkness. Sounds like a fun-packed family adventure, eh? Come get lost in Middle-earth and explore the history and background of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Talking Tolkien is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.

Only 15 episodes in, and we finally find out what a Silmaril is and where they came from! On this episode, John & Greta continue their chapter-by-chapter walkthrough of The Silmarillion with Chapter 7, Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor. Things are starting to get ugly in the Blessed Realm! We discuss topics ranging from the origin of the Silmarils to Melkor's schemes to the desire for light in Middle-earth (and what exactly that's all about). Also, Greta completely outdoes John with her Tolkien haiku, proving that, like Bilbo to Gandalf, "When I left you I was but the learner; now I am the master." That was from The Hobbit, right? Come get lost in Middle-earth and explore the history and background of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Talking Tolkien is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.

Tolkien addresses his philosophy-poem "Mythopoeia" to C.S. Lewis, who said that myths were "lies breathed through silver."  In this episode, we discuss the meaning of "Mythopoeia" and how it serves as a sort of spiritual and creative manifesto for Tolkien. Plus, Greta comes up with some killer haikus on the fly. Come get lost in Middle-earth and explore the history and background of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Talking Tolkien is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.

Who is Fëanor and why is he important? And who thought it was a good idea to let Melkor out of the dungeon?!?! C'MON MAN!!! Way. On this episode, John & Greta discuss Chapter 06 of The Silmarillion, Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor. Plus, we hear from a listener with a really cool comment, and discuss Tolkien's views on the Eucharist. Come get lost in Middle-earth and explore the history and background of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Talking Tolkien is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.

How did the Elves get to Aman? Whatever became of Thingol? Where does Galadriel come from? And why did we forget a critical Wayne's World reference in the Thingol and Melian episode? We explore all these issues and more in Episode 12. Plus, Greta busts out her own killer haiku!!! Come get lost in Middle-earth and explore the history and background of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Talking Tolkien is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.  

Join us as we discuss "Leaf By Niggle", my favorite non-Middle-earth Tolkien story. "Leaf By Niggle" is a mythical story about creativity and love of neighbor with a wonderful conclusion. In the second of a two-part series, we discuss the profound meaning contained in what Tolkien referred to as his "purgatorial" story and the story that reflected his anxities about completing Lord of the Rings. Talking Tolkien is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.

"Leaf By Niggle" is one of Tolkien's lesser known works, but it yields a ton of insight into his own creative vision. In the first of a two-part series, we discuss what Tolkien himself had to say about the story he wrote one morning in the late 30's. This is also my favorite non-Middle-earth Tolkien work - it's just a beautiful story. Talking Tolkien is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.

Tolkien's first story of inter-species love concerns Thingol and Melian. Find out why the shortest chapter in The Silmarillion is one of the most important in the history of Middle-earth as we explore the 4th chapter of The Silmarillion proper, Of Thingol and Melian. Come get lost in Middle-earth and explore the history of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings!Talking Tolkien is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.

Where did the Elves come from and what is their doom? What should the Valar do about Melkor? We explore these questions and more in our discussion of the 3rd chapter of The Silmarillion proper, Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor. Come get lost in Middle-earth and explore the history of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings! Talking Tolkien is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.

We sit down with illustrator Evan Palmer of EvanPalmerComics.com to discuss his graphic interpretation of Ainulindalë. It's an illuminating interview for a fascinating work! You can find Evan's work at EvanPalmerComics.com/Ainulindale. Come get lost in Middle-earth and explore the history of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings! Talking Tolkien is the podcast of the website TrueMyths.org. You can learn more by following @tolkienwisdom on Twitter and following TrueMyths.org on Facebook at Facebook.com/TrueMyths.