All Rings Considered: A Tolkien Podcast

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.

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.

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."

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."

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!

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."

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!

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!

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."

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!

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

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!

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

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!

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

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

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

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.

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.