Throwback: Who Is Tom Bombadil?

Tom and Glenn welcome J.P. Sanchez to the show today. J.P. is a Mexican lawyer currently studying international human rights law at the University of Notre Dame. In this conversation, they explore the practical challenges of human rights work, examine the often shaky philosophica ...  Show more

Today Chris reflects on artists whose art he admires, but he would never want to be like. When you think of Roald Dahl, Shel Silverstein, or even Mozart, must you boycott them when you discover things about them that you find distasteful? Today the Pugs wonder aloud, must artists ...  Show more

Many far-right conservatives think The Lord of the Rings is about them. They may love Tolkien, but it's very possible Tolkien would not have loved them back. This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen with help from Ariana Aspuru, edited by Jolie Myers, fact-checked by Laur ...  Show more

In the final pages of Book I, Chapter 2, “The Shadow of the Past”, Gandalf recounts how he found Gollum and filled in the gaps in the Ring’s history. Frodo begins to understand what he must do; and while he’s not exactly eager to do it, he won’t have to do it alone. We spend some ...  Show more

For millions of Tolkien lovers around the world, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are more than just fantasy fiction. Their rich mix of sacred mythology and archetypal saga stories draw deeply into history and legend and profoundly resonate with universa ...

Drift off with this calm bedtime reading about Frodo Baggins, created to ease insomnia and bring peaceful rest. In this soothing episode, Benjamin explores the beloved Lord of the Rings character, his journey from the Shire, and the courage that defines his role in Tolkien’s epic ...  Show more