Podcast Episodes

"Out of the Frying-Pan" | JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit | 230

Episode 230

Bilbo Baggins becomes bacon . . . or at least he fears that he has. Some new creatures want to eat him, another new creature seems to want to eat him; yet despite feeling like food, Bilbo is starting…

Published on 2 months, 1 week ago

"Riddles in the Dark" | JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit | Archives 229

Episode 229

One of the most chilling elements of a fantasy story is the descent into darkness. Darkness is the realm of evil, where wicked power have a home-court advantage. But journeys into the dark have a way…

Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago

When Bilbo Met Gollum | JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit | Archives 228

Episode 228

The dangers of adventure, an encounter with goblins, and the power of Gandalf. We continue our exploration of JRR Tolkien’s the Hobbit, by wandering through chapter 4: Over Hill and Under Hill.

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Published on 2 months, 3 weeks ago

"Over Hill and Under Hill" | JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit | Archives 227

Episode 227

The dangers of adventure, an encounter with goblins, and the power of Gandalf. We continue our exploration of JRR Tolkien’s the Hobbit, by wandering through chapter 4: Over Hill and Under Hill.

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Published on 2 months, 4 weeks ago

"A Short Rest" | JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit chapter 3 | Archives 226

Episode 226

The nature of evil, the nature of elves, and a brief encounter with Elrond (curiously, not called Half-elven). We follow Bilbo and the dwarves on their adventure to the Lonely Mountain in chapter 3 o…

Published on 3 months ago

"Roast Mutton" | JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit | Chapter 2 | Archives | 225

Episode 225

Food, fire, and foreshadowing: we wander the second chapter of JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit, and explore how this simple chapter is a major clue to the rest of Bilbo’s adventure.

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Published on 3 months, 1 week ago

How The Hobbit Movie Got It Wrong | Tolkien's The Hobbit | Book vs Movie chap 1 | 224

Episode 224

How Peter Jackson's Hobbit films made one subtle change that had profound implications. We explore the opening of the movie The Hobbit, an Unexpected Journey, and compare it to the chapter in JRR Tol…

Published on 3 months, 3 weeks ago

An Unexpected Party | JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit Chapter 1 | 223 | Archives

Episode 223

How an unsuspecting, comfortable hobbit became the host of a party of dwarves and a burglar of a dragon: Today we explore chapter 1 of JRR Tolkien’s classic story: The Hobbit or There and Back Again.…

Published on 3 months, 3 weeks ago

The Origins of The Hobbit | JRR Tolkien | Archives | 222

Episode 222

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit."

Tolkien’s simple opening line to his book The Hobbit wasn’t merely the first sentence to a children’s story of adventure, bravery, and dragons: this sen…

Published on 3 months, 3 weeks ago

Small, Strange Chances: The Quest for Erebor | JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings | 221

Episode 221

If you’ve seen or read Tolkien’s The Hobbit, then you know that Gandalf convinced Thorin and the dwarves to take Bilbo Baggins, a simple hobbit from the Shire. But you may not know why Gandalf chose …

Published on 4 months ago