Reading Tolkien
by Benjamin Bassett
Latest episode
Interview - DJ Taylor and The King Under the Mountain
Interview - DJ Taylor and The King Under the Mountain
About this podcast
This show examines Tolkien's work from a variety of literary perspectives. We examine Tolkien's lesser known works, his well known novels and his thematic and philosophical preoccupations and sentiments. Please join us!
Episodes
The newest 20 of 28 episodes
- Interview - DJ Taylor and The King Under the Mountain · 52 min · Season 3 Episode 3I speak with biographer and critic D. J. Taylor about his new book, The King Under the Mountain: In Search of J. R. R. Tolkien. We discuss Tolkien's life and literary world, the…
- Professor Michael Drout: The Tower and the Ruin · 1 h 13 min · Season 3 Episode 2Professor Michael Drout speaks to me about his fascinating and deeply moving new literary memoir cum detailed literary analysis The Tower and the Ruin. Drout's book, published…
- Interview: Giuseppe Pezzini · 44 min · Season 3 Episode 1In this interview I chat with Giuseppe (Beppe) Pezzini, author of the fascinating new book, 'Tolkien and the Mystery of Literary Creation'. Together, we delve into the…
- The Silmarillion Sessions: Chapter 11 - Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor · 9 min · Season 2 Episode 10In this minisode I discuss the myth of the Sun and the Moon in The Silmarillion. I jump right into my thoughts so it is recommended that you have read the chapter recently.
- The Silmarillion Sessions: Chapter 10 - Of the Sindar · 17 min · Season 2 Episode 9In this episode I discuss the Sindar in Chapter 10 of The Silmarillion, and offer brief thoughts on my recent re-read of The Lord of the Rings.
- Silmarillion Sessions: Chapter 7, 8 & 9 · 1 h 15 min · Season 2 Episode 8We discuss Fëanor (somewhat drunkenly!) in this new podcast, our first for 2023! For those who think Fëanor 'did nothing wrong' this is the podcast for you! We defend the great…
- The Rings of Power discussion: Episodes 1 & 2 · 36 min · Season 2 Episode 6Sridhar and Ben discuss the first two episodes of the new Amazon series, The Rings of Power.
- JRR Tolkien, George RR Martin, and writing morally dubious characters · 2 h 6 min · Season 2 Episode 5In this episode Sridhar and I discuss the upcoming Amazon show, Rings of Power, and the prequel to Game of Thrones - House of the Dragon. The discussion turns to the variant…
- Silmarillion Sessions 2: Chapters 1-4 · 1 h 2 min · Season 2 Episode 4Join Ben and Sridhar as they discuss Chapters 1-4 of the Quenta Silmarillion. They touch on the nature of the Valar, the status of The Silmarillion as a text within the world of…
- Interview: Brian Rosebury · 47 min · Season 2 Episode 3Join Professor Brian Rosebury (Tolkien: A Cultural Phenomenon) and myself as we discuss Tolkien and tragedy, morality and moral judgement. Brian's details can be found here…
- The Nature of Middle-earth with Daniel Stride · 1 h 34 min · Season 2 Episode 2Join us for a new episode in which we review the Nature of Middle-earth with Daniel Stride. Daniel's blog may be found at https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/
- Silmarillion Sessions 1 · 1 h 42 min · Season 2 Episode 1Join us for the inaugural episode of the Silmarillion Sessions. We begin with the myth of Creation, the Ainulindalë. We touch on the importance of beauty and goodness, and ask…
- Interview: Tom Emanuel · 1 h 1 min · Season 1 Episode 16Here I discuss Tolkien with @RealTomEmanuel, a minister and Tolkien Scholar. We touch on recent trends in the reception of Tolkien, Tolkien studies, and beauty of The Lord of the…
- Of the Rings of Power · 1 h 41 min · Season 1 Episode 15Listen in as Ben and Sridhar discuss the Rings of Power in Tolkien's world.
- Interview: Dawn M. Walls-Thumma · 1 h 5 min · Season 1 Episode 14Today I present an interview with scholar and writer Dawn Walls-Thumma. We discuss Dawn's essay 'Attainable Vistas: Historical Bias in Tolkien's Legendarium as a Motive for…
- On Ross Douthat, Amazon and Adaptation · 1 h 39 min · Season 1 Episode 13Join Benjamin and Shridhar for the 13th episode of the podcast. They discuss Ross Douthat's recent Substack article on the upcoming amazon show, where he muses about the fate of…
- Interview: Dr Holly Ordway · 1 h 8 min · Season 1 Episode 12In this episode, I interview the great Tolkien scholar Holly Ordway, who has recently published the book Tolkien's Modern Reading: Middle-earth Beyond the Middle Ages, published…
- Interview: Dr Vladimir Brljak · 1 h 16 min · Season 1 Episode 6In this episode, I interview literary scholar Vladimir Brljak, who published an article in 2010 entitled The Book of Lost Tales: Tolkien as Metafictionist. The article argues…
- Aldarion and Erendis: Part Deux · 1 h 41 min · Season 1 Episode 11In this episode, Ben and Sridhar return to 'Aldarion and Erendis' from Unfinished Tales. They discuss the characters and themes, with a particular focus on the slowly growing…
- On The Hobbit · 1 h 58 min · Season 1 Episode 10Ben and Sridhar discuss Tolkien's first classic, The Hobbit. They look at Bilbo's journey, the place of moral theory in Tolkien's work, the differences between modern and ancient…
