All Rings Considered: A Tolkien Podcast

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Charlie Lein, Pip Parker, and various guests discuss the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Music credit: "Long Road Ahead B" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

All Rings Considered


    • Mar 17, 2020 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 24m AVG DURATION
    • 64 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from All Rings Considered: A Tolkien Podcast

    The Lord of the Rings Read-Through Conclusion

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2020 100:56


    Join Pip and Charlie *one last time* for a relaxed, informal conversation about The Lord of the Rings as a whole and their thoughts on recording a podcast for two years. Buckle up, this is a long one.

    Book 6, Chapter 9: "The Grey Havens"

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2020 34:14


    It's the final chapter of 'The Lord of the Rings,' and Charlie and Pip are here to analyze its allusions and themes, while also saving time to debate the tone of the ending in the penultimate episode of the entire series. Lie down. Try not to cry. Cry a lot.

    Book 6, Chapter 8: "The Scouring of the Shire"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2020 30:42


    The Hobbits come home while Pip and Charlie hit the homeward stretch of the series in Book 6, Chapter 8, "The Scouring of the Shire."

    Book 6, Chapter 7: "Homeward Bound"

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2019 16:35


    Charlie and Pip inch closer to the end of the book as they look at the real meaning of the Shire in Book 6, Chapter 7, "Homeward Bound."

    Book 6, Chapter 6: "Many Partings"

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2019 40:59


    Indiana University doctoral candidate Luke J. Chambers joins Pip and Charlie to discuss both this chapter and, more importantly, his article, "Enta Geweorc and the Work of Ents," just recently published in volume 16 of the Tolkien Studies journal!

    Book 6, Chapter 5: "The Steward and the King"

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 2, 2019 40:31


    In this special "Mourning Edition" of the show, Charlie and Pip get some bad news from NPR, but that won't stop them from discussing Eowyn and Faramir and everything they represent in Book 6, Chapter 5, "The Steward and the King."

    Book 6, Chapter 4: "The Field of Cormallen"

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2019 19:23


    Pip and Charlie have made it to the home-stretch! Join them as they shamelessly impugn Tolkien's own thoughts in episode 57 of ARC!

    Book 6, Chapter 3: "Mount Doom"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2019 36:53


    Finally, Charlie and Pip reach the climax of the entire book. Tune in to hear about the fate of the Ring, the role of chance, and the tension between free will and human nature in this episode of ARC!

    Book 6, Chapter 2: "The Land of Shadow"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2019 22:40


    Hear what Pip and Charlie have to say about the greatest line in The Lord of the Rings. Plus, a special shout-out to Jeff Goldblum--all this and more in our discussion of Book 6, Chapter 2: "The Land of Shadow."

    Book 6, Chapter 1: "The Tower of Cirith Ungol"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2019 29:10


    Charlie and Pip enter Book 6 while Frodo and Sam enter Mordor--it's time to start the FINAL book of The Lord of the Rings!

    Book 5, Chapter 10: "The Black Gate Opens"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2019 24:09


    Brew some coffee, pull up a chair, and listen in to how Book 5 wraps up a central theme of The Lord of the Rings while delivering an emotional climax...and then stick around as Pip and Charlie get distracted by some Tolkien-inspired clickbait (did you know Gandalf might not actually be a wizard???).

    Book 5, Chapter 9: "The Last Debate"

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2019 19:17


    Book 5, Chapter 9 gets Charlie and Pip talking about "the deeds of Men," greater evils than Sauron, and much more!

    Book 5, Chapter 8: "The Houses of Healing"

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 12, 2019 22:56


    Pip and Charlie talk Christ parallels, beautiful prose, and the book's anti-conservative streak in episode 51 of their 'Lord of the Rings' read-through!

    Book 5, Chapter 7: "The Pyre of Denethor"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2019 23:32


    Join Charlie and Pip as they explore the character of Denethor in their FIFTIETH episode!

    Book 5, Chapter 6: "The Battle of the Pelennor Fields"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2019 56:07


    In this special episode of ARC, Pip and Charlie are joined by Western Michigan University PhD candidate Becky Straple as they examine Eowyn's story arc, medieval "women warriors," eucatastrophes, and a bit of First World War literature!

    Book 5, Chapter 5: "The Ride of the Rohirrim"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2019 22:32


    Can a chapter be both the worst and best? Find out what Pip and Charlie think in this episode of ARC!

    Book 5, Chapter 4: "The Siege of Gondor"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2019 22:10


    Tolkien turns epic in Book 5, Chapter 4, "The Siege of Gondor," and Charlie and Pip are here to break it down.

    Book 5, Chapter 3: "The Muster of Rohan"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2019 15:24


    Dramatic irony and hidden identities abound as Pip and Charlie look at Book 5, Chapter 3, "The Muster of Rohan."

    Book 5, Chapter 2: "The Passing of the Grey Company"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2019 23:10


    Charlie and Pip report on the Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth exhibit at the Morgan Library, the new Tolkien biopic, and Book 5, Chapter 2, in episode 45 of ARC's LotR read-through.

    Book 5, Chapter 1: "Minas Tirith"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2019 20:41


    It's a new book! Pip and Charlie kick off Book 5 and The Return of the King by looking at the Mediterranean aesthetic of Gondor and the growth of Pippin as a character.

    Book 4, Chapter 10: "The Choices of Master Samwise"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2019 31:53


    In this special episode, Charlie and Pip reach the end of Book IV and The Two Towers. Join them for a discussion on grief, tonal shifts, and their final conclusions on the relationship between Books III and IV. Plus, stay tuned after the discussion for some on-location podcasting from Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, a place that served as an inspiration for Tolkien... Pictures from the trip to Lauterbrunnen can be found on Charlie's Instagram, @leinphotography, or on his Flickr page at https://www.flickr.com/photos/leinphotography/33844691318/in/dateposted-public/lightbox/

    Book 4, Chapter 9: "Shelob's Lair"

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2019 14:23


    "Giant spider? That's cool and all, but more importantly, let's do a deep dive on all the definitions of the word 'own.'" --Pip and Charlie

    Book 4, Chapter 8: "The Stairs of Cirith Ungol"

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2019 26:03


    Stories! Laughter! Scenery descriptions! Winnie-the-Pooh! All of your favorite topics appear on this week's episode of ARC.

    Book 4, Chapter 7: "Journey to the Cross-Roads"

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2019 17:22


    Pip and Charlie inch closer to uncovering Book 4's main theme and also answer a listener-submitted question as they look at Book 4, Chapter 7, "Journey to the Cross-Roads."

    Book 4, Chapter 6: "The Forbidden Pool"

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2019 19:32


    Charlie and Pip celebrate the anniversary of the podcast, look at some medieval law influences in The Lord of the Rings, and take a listener-submitted question in this episode of ARC!

    Book 4, Chapter 5: "The Window on the West"

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2019 25:38


    Pip and Charlie talk about time, the relationship between Rohan and Gondor, and the 'Tolkien' movie teaser as they look at Book 4, Chapter 5, "The Window on the West."

    Book 4, Chapter 4: "Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit"

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2019 20:30


    Book 4, Chapter 4 gets Charlie and Pip talking about nuances and contradictions within texts, while reader-submitted questions cover topics such as Gandalf's increase in power and the identity of the book's narrator.

    Book 4, Chapter 3: "The Black Gate Is Closed"

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2019 25:37


    Book 4, Chapter 3 prompts Pip and Charlie to discuss the aesthetic of Mordor, the power of laughter, and one of the more problematic aspects of Tolkien's work. Plus, they answer more reader-submitted questions!

    Book 4, Chapter 2: "The Passage of the Marshes"

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2019 22:48


    The parallel relationship between between Books 3 and 4, Tolkien's First World War influences, and our first listener-submitted question--all this and more on episode 35 of ARC's Lord of the Rings Read-Through.

    Book 4, Chapter 1: "The Taming of Smeagol"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2019 17:07


    Pip and Charlie kick off Book 4 by discussing Gollum, faulty memories, and some more Shit Said about Tolkien.

    Book 3, Chapter 11: "The Palantir"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2019 25:13


    Charlie and Pip take a look back at Book 3 as a whole, and also listen to the voices of the people and their take on The Lord of the Rings...

    Book 3, Chapter 10: "The Voice of Saruman"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2019 21:47


    Pip and Charlie do a deep dive into Saruman's campaign to Make Middle-earth Great Again in Book 3, Chapter 10, "The Voice of Saruman."

    Book 3, Chapter 9: "Flotsam and Jetsam"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2019 23:32


    Tune in to hear Charlie and Pip's thoughts on stories-within-stories and the secret connection between the Ents and Barrow-wights in Book 3, Chapter 9, "Flotsam and Jetsam."

    Book 3, Chapter 8: "The Road to Isengard"

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2018 19:08


    Humor and death make good company, apparently, since "The Road to Isengard" is full of both.

    Book 3, Chapter 7: "Helm's Deep"

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2018 16:02


    "Helm's Deep" is, uh, a chapter in The Lord of the Rings. Yup. (We're not gaining any new subscribers from this episode.)

    Book 3, Chapter 6: "The King of the Golden Hall"

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2018 41:19


    Pip and Charlie tackle one of their favorite chapters by (you're going to want to sit down for this) starting at the beginning, looking at the middle, then moving on to the end. Along the way, they look at how Tolkien gave the Rohirrim a tragic feel in Book 3, Chapter 6, "The King of the Golden Hall."

    Book 3, Chapter 5: "The White Rider"

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2018 19:40


    It's Charlie's and Pip's favorite chapter! ...or not... Still, it's here, and we have to find something to talk about for Book 3, Chapter 5, "The White Rider."

    Book 3, Chapter 4: "Treebeard"

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2018 20:18


    Pip and Charlie talk a little about trees, a little about beards, a lot about Treebeard, and just a tiny bit about Manbeard in this episode of ARC.

    Book 3, Chapter 3: "The Uruk-Hai"

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2018 17:08


    Charlie and Pip look at evil as self-defeating, events as echoes, and the problem with orcs in Book 3, Chapter 3, "The Uruk-Hai."

    Book 3, Chapter 2: "The Riders of Rohan"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2018 22:59


    Did you know that Tolkien kinda loved landscape descriptions? The shocking details in this episode of ARC covering Book 3, Chapter 2, "The Riders of Rohan."

    Book 3, Chapter 1: "The Departure of Boromir"

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2018 28:05


    Time to dive into a new book! Pip and Charlie talk about Boromir's "victory," Aragorn's choices, and shifting points of view in the first chapter of Book 3 and The Two Towers, "The Departure of Boromir."

    Book 2, Chapter 10: "The Breaking of the Fellowship"

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2018 34:26


    We did it! Charlie and Pip finish 'The Fellowship of the Ring' by looking at the meaning of "fellowship," the manipulative behavior of Boromir, and the running themes of Books 1 and 2.

    Book 2, Chapter 9: "The Great River"

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2018 21:03


    Charlie and Pip get their notes ready and look at uncertainty, doubt, and the desolate but evocative landscape in Book 2, Chapter 9, "The Great River."

    Book 2, Chapter 8, "Farewell to Lorien"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2018 24:33


    Pip and Charlie say...farewell to Lorien after discussing Book 2, Chapter 8, "Farewell to Lorien." Farewell.

    Book 2, Chapter 7: "The Mirror of Galadriel"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2018 26:41


    Charlie and Pip look at "the long defeat" and compare Lorien and Rivendell as they look at Book 2, Chapter 7, "The Mirror of Galadriel."

    Book 2, Chapter 6: "Lothlorien"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2018 21:26


    Book 2, Chapter 6 brings Pip and Charlie to the dangerous-but-fair, preserved-but-dying forest of Lorien.

    Book 2, Chapter 5: "The Bridge of Khazad-Dum"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2018 25:07


    Charlie and Pip awaken to find themselves looking at one of Book 2's pivotal chapters, "The Bridge of Khazad-Dum." Drums, Balrogs, language writing systems--find it all right here on this week's episode of ARC.

    Book 2, Chapter 4: "A Journey in the Dark"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2018 20:31


    The power of original language, journeys into the unknown, and Tolkien's questionable chapter names--all that and more as Charlie and Pip discuss Book 2, Chapter 4, "A Journey in the Dark."

    Book 2, Chapter 3: "The Ring Goes South"

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2018 18:45


    The past comes back to help our heroes, Tolkien brings in a little Christianity, and fire abounds as Charlie and Pip look at Book 2, Chapter 3, "The Ring Goes South."

    Book 2, Chapter 2: "The Council of Elrond"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2018 42:16


    Pip, Charlie, and a not-so-special, kind-of-average guest pay tribute to the longest chapter in The Lord of the Rings with a super-sized episode!

    Book 2, Chapter 1: "Many Meetings"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2018 20:24


    Charlie and Pip have made it to Book 2! In this episode, they look at Tolkien's expansion of Middle-earth, his shift to elevated and archaic language, and The Lord of the Rings' consistent relationship with The Hobbit.

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