Podcasts by The Prancing Pony Podcast
The Prancing Pony Podcast is a weekly show about the Middle-earth legendarium of J.R.R. Tolkien, hosted - for six seasons - by Alan Sisto and Shawn E. Marchese. As the show returns for its seventh season, Alan welcomes an all-star cast of co-hosts to join him as he explores the first part of The Return of the King!
Alan and all his co-hosts are passionate Tolkien enthusiasts, and they invite listeners to enjoy their detailed exploration of Tolkien’s work, with smart but straightforward discussion and a healthy dose of self-effacing humor, pop-culture references, and bad puns. These are the folks you'd want to hang out with at a pub and talk Tolkien with.
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Further podcasts by Alan Sisto & Shawn Marchese
Podcast on the topic Bücher
All episodes
310 – Give a Little Bit (of Your Cloak to Me) from 2023-12-10T16:00:03
Frodo and Sam get out of the predicament in the Tower only to have to head further into Mordor, as Alan and Matt get out of their QAN predicament only to have to… well, do this. Join us as Sam exag...
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309b – The Accidental Episode from 2023-12-03T14:00:03
You know when someone makes a big mistake at work, but they bring in a dozen donuts the next day and everyone forgives them? Weeeell... this is kinda like that. The mistake was releasing today's ep...
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309 – Questions After Nightfall 25 from 2023-11-26T16:00:03
We’re known for our short and concise answers, says The Nerd of the Rings, as he joins The Man of the West just in time to answer listener questions on our 25th Questions After Nightfall! From Ainu...
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308 – Boy, You’re Gonna Carry That Weight from 2023-11-19T16:00:03
Frodo declines to acquiesce to Sam’s request to share the burden of the Ring… means ‘no’. Join Alan and Don as Sam becomes Frodo’s personal shopper in the worst clearance sale ever in our final epi...
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307 – I Want to Hold Your Hand from 2023-11-12T16:00:03
In the middle of his darkest moment, Sam sings; in the middle of this episode, Don and Alan sing. One of these two was a good decision. Join Alan and Don as Sam longs for Frodo, and refuses to say ...
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306 – We Can’t Work it Out from 2023-11-05T16:00:03
Sam finds a way past the Watchers to rescue Frodo, as Don finds a way past Alan’s bad jokes to rescue the episode. Join Alan and Don as Sam continues his search for Frodo in a place absolutely fill...
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305 – All You Need is Love from 2023-10-29T15:13:22
Sam hesitantly takes what he sees as an irrevocable step down into Mordor; Don Marshall hesitantly agrees to do one more chapter with The Man of the West. Jon Alan and Don as Sam forgets his peril ...
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304 – Not Your Father's Hobbit from 2023-10-15T15:00:03
Frodo has been a prisoner of the Orcs for more than a year in podcast time, but what’s another episode between friends? Before Alan and Don Marshall start our read through of Book VI of The Lord...
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303 – Questions After Nightfall 24 from 2023-10-01T15:00:02
The Fëanor piñata takes some more hits as The Man of the West welcomes Don Marshall, the Obscure Lord of the Rings Facts Guy, to the Prancing Pony Podcast just in time to answer some really obscure...
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302 – Live at Oxonmoot 50! from 2023-09-17T15:00:02
Join both The Man of the West and the Lord of the Mark as they celebrate the release of their new book by recording a LIVE episode at The Tolkien Society’s 50th Oxonmoot in Oxford! Guests include K...
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301 – A Little Bit Me, A Little… Nah, it’s All You from 2023-07-30T15:00:02
Sauron smells a trap, and sends his lieutenant to open the door and see who’s there; Matt smells a sidebar, and sends Alan to find out more. Join us as the Mouth of Sauron says too much, but doesn’...
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300 – Another Unpleasant Valley Sunday from 2023-07-23T15:00:02
Some of Aragorn’s followers are told how they might “keep what honor you may”; The Nerd of the Rings returns to the Common Room to keep what honor HE may. Join Matt and Alan as Aragorn heads out to...
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299 – Not a Trace of Hope in My Mind from 2023-07-16T15:00:02
Gimli says he’s near the end of their tale; Alan and Shaun aren’t convinced. Join us as we discuss how hard it is to look at your watch when you’re in battle, as we complete The Last Monolog… er, D...
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298 – Take the Last Train to Harlond from 2023-07-09T15:00:02
Legolas and Gimli reunite with Merry and Pippin, telling them stories about the last few days. Shaun Gunner (not Shawn) reunites with Alan, telling him how much he hates seagulls. Join us as we lea...
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297 – Questions After Nightfall 23 from 2023-06-25T15:00:02
Join Alan and Sara, as we send Sara back to more civilized realms by joining some of our listeners in the Common Room for our latest Q&A episode. We rely on our shelves and our brains - because...
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296 – A Farewell to Kings (For Now) from 2023-06-18T15:00:01
Hobbits use light words and fear to say too much; we use light words and clearly don’t fear saying too much. Join Alan and Sara, and the many fragrances of athelas, as we conclude our visit to The ...
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295 – It’s Good to Be King from 2023-06-11T15:00:01
It turns out Aragorn has a LOT of names; it’s good that none of them are Herbert or Alan and Sara would argue about the leading ‘h’ for (h)ours. Join us as Gandalf threatens to show Ioreth the mean...
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294 – King of Pain (Relief) from 2023-06-04T15:00:02
Merry and Pippin meet again after Merry’s agelong ascent; Alan and Dr. Sara Brown meet again after Alan climbs some stairs - nowhere near as dramatic. Join us as everyone’s favorite old woman (not ...
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293 – We’ve Got to Have Some Bears In Here: An Interview with Brian Sibley from 2023-05-28T15:00:01
Alan and KnewBetta roll out the red carpet — and put away the Hawaiian shirts — for Brian Sibley’s return to the Common Room! A prolific and talented writer, Brian is the force behind some of the m...
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292 – (Goodness, Gracious) Great Ball of Fire from 2023-05-21T15:00:02
You’ve heard of ‘quiet quitting’, right? Well, Denethor clearly wants nothing to do with such a trend. Join Alan and KnewBetta as the steward resigns his position quite loudly indeed, in the second...
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291 – Whole Lotta Heathen Goin’ On from 2023-05-14T15:00:02
Authority is given to you, listener of The Prancing Pony Podcast, to order the hour of your listening! Join Alan and KnewBettaDoBetta as Beregond saves the day, and Faramir, in our first episode on...
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290 – Beautiful Day from 2023-05-07T15:00:02
Éomer forms a final shield-wall and thinks of songs that will never be sung; Alan and Shawn offer to gladly butcher, uh, sing those songs. Join us as the appearance of black sails thrills th...
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289 – Stuck In a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of from 2023-04-30T15:00:02
The king is dead, long live the king! Meet was Théoden’s ending; will meat be Alan and Shawn’s ending? Join us as Éomer receives an unexpected promotion in our second episode on The Battle of the P...
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288 – Pride (In the Name of Hindering) from 2023-04-23T15:00:02
The Witch-king arrives on the battlefield; Alan and Shawn also arrive, presumably with less stink. Join us as we finally arrive at the moment that we’ve been waiting for for more than seven years a...
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287 – Questions After Nightfall 22 from 2023-04-16T15:00:02
It always comes back to Rush, at least when The Lord of the Mark returns! Join Alan, and a few of our listeners, as we celebrate Shawn’s return to the common-room with our latest Q&A episode, t...
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286 – Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own from 2023-04-02T15:00
Now is the hour come… for us to read one of our favorite passages in all of The Lord of the Rings! Need brooks no delay, so join Alan and Marcel now as the time has come for Théoden and Roha...
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285 – In Ghân’s Country from 2023-03-26T15:00:01
Merry’s obsession with luggage continues, as Alan and Marcel discuss whether he should be put in the overhead compartment or checked at the counter. Join us as we are introduced to one of the more ...
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284 – Tolkien Reading Day 2023 from 2023-03-19T15:00:02
Pack your bags and renew your passports as you join us for the PPP’s eighth annual celebration of Tolkien Reading Day, observed every March 25 in honor of the destruction of the Ring and the fall o...
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283 – He Won’t Back Down from 2023-03-12T15:00:02
The forces of Mordor begin their assault on the city of Minas Tirith, as Alan and Matt begin their assault on your patience. Join us as The Heathen Kings of Old open for us in today’s episode, and ...
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282 – Runnin’ Down a Rout from 2023-03-05T16:00:03
Imrahil and Gandalf save the day, along with Faramir’s body; who will ride out to save Alan and Matt? Join us as we follow Gandalf’s Magic Flashlight™, as we near the end of The Siege of Gondor! Ga...
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281 – Don’t Come Around Here No More from 2023-02-26T16:00:02
Faramir goes off to earn his father’s grudging admiration, while Alan and Matt continue to work to earn yours. Join us, and all the captains, as we continue The Siege of Gondor! Read along as Pippi...
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280 – Don’t Do Him Like That from 2023-02-19T16:00:02
Denethor submits his application for Father of the Year, making Alan and Matt feel great about their parenting skills in the process. Join us as we celebrate the seventh anniversary of The P...
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279 – You Got Lucky from 2023-02-12T16:00:01
Pippin is asked to sing by the Steward of Gondor; Alan and his new co-host, Matt from The Nerd of the Rings are begged not to sing by everyone else. Join us as we commiserate with Pippin ove...
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278 – The Lion&Unicorn: Another Visit with John Garth from 2023-02-05T16:00:02
Alan and James welcome John Garth in his return to the Common Room here at The Prancing Pony Podcast! We talk about everything in this one: his landmark work Tolkien and the Great War, his e...
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277 – I Will Follow from 2023-01-29T16:00:02
Merry is given his pink slip, but refuses to pack up his desk and leave: a security guard by the name of Dernhelm will escort him out. Join Alan and James as we marshal the riders — and James’ humb...
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276 – With or Without You, Rohan from 2023-01-22T16:00:01
The Red Arrow arrives: do we turn right after coming to a complete stop, or wait? Join Alan and James as we continue The Muster of Rohan (ignoring the Mayonnaise of Rohan, as it’s been left out too...
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275 – Who’s Gonna Ride Your War Horses? from 2023-01-15T16:00:02
Merry’s not big enough to ride one of the Rohirrim’s steeds, while Alan and his co-host, James Tauber, aren’t exactly keen to try. Join us as we ride into Harrowdale with Théoden to find a host of ...
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274 – Live from PPP Moot! from 2023-01-08T16:00:02
Join Alan and Shawn and an all-star panel of guests in an episode recorded live at PPP Moot 2022! Matt from Nerd of the Rings, Luke Shelton from The Tolkien Experience Podcast, and Corey Olsen ,the...
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273 – Questions After Nightfall 21 from 2022-12-18T16:00:03
Join Alan and Don, as we send Don back (for now, at any rate) to TikTok, where they apparently need their Obscure Lord of the Rings Facts Guy. But before Luke leaves Vader in charge, it’s time to w...
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272 – Bad Company from 2022-12-11T16:00:02
They say bad company corrupts good character; we’ll leave it to you to decide whether the title refers to the Dead Men of Dunharrow, or your hosts, Alan and Don, as we finish our journey through th...
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271 – Feel like Breakin’ Love from 2022-12-04T16:00:03
Alan has walked this podcast land ere Don was born to grace it — just getting the old jokes out of the way, folks. Join Alan and Don as we listen in on a difficult conversation: Aragorn breaks hard...
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270 – Run With the Pack from 2022-11-20T16:00:02
So much alike are Elladan and Elrohir that few could tell them apart; not so with Alan and his co-host, Don Marshall! Join us as Aragorn breaks hard news to Théoden, has a moment of foresight about...
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269 – It’s All Part of My Gondorian Fantasy from 2022-11-13T16:00:02
Here come the jesters, one, two… well, two. Alan is joined by Don Marshall, The Obscure Lord of the Rings Facts Guy from TikTok, as we join Aragorn and his friends in Rohan. An hour long prepared a...
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268 – Waiting for the Son from 2022-11-06T16:00:02
Alan and Shaun finish their time in Minas Tirith waiting for Bergil to decide whether to take Pippin’s lunch money. Hard, bold, and wicked, Pippin can’t choose between ‘Prince of the Halflings’ and...
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267 – This is the End, My Hobbit Friend from 2022-10-30T15:00:01
Alan and Shaun continue their extended visit to Minas Tirith, spending most of their time with a fellow named Beregond. Pippin asks good questions, the man of Gondor gives good answers, and we give...
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266 – People Are Strange When You’re a Halfling from 2022-10-23T15:00:02
Shaun Gunner of The Tolkien Society begins his service to the PPP, just as Pippin begins his service to Denethor in what is clearly an unacceptable analogy. Gandalf reminds the Steward what it mean...
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265 – Hello, I Loathe You from 2022-10-16T15:00:01
Alan and Corey tread carefully as they walk with Pippin and Gandalf into the Hall of Kings to meet the Steward. We watch as Denethor plays a rhetorical game with Gandalf, weep as we remember Boromi...
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264 – Riders on the Storm from 2022-10-09T15:00:02
Alan and Corey continue their journey towards Minas Tirith, riding with Gandalf and Pippin on the wings of the storm. We study the architecture of the White City, do maths, and begin the inevitable...
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263 – Come on Gondor, Light That Fire from 2022-10-02T15:00:02
Alan and Corey introduce Book Five, and with no time to wallow in the mire, journey with Gandalf and Pippin towards Minas Tirith, as the beacons try to set the night on fire. Pippin is scared of th...
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262 – Questions After Nightfall 20 from 2022-09-25T15:00:03
Alan welcomes The Tolkien Professor himself, Corey Olsen, to the Prancing Pony - just in time for us both to join our listeners in the common-room for our latest Q&A episode! We discuss the choices...
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261 – Drinking the Cup of Farewell from 2022-09-18T15:00:02
The time has come for Shawn to drink the cup of parting, but not before we take a moment to celebrate his time in the Common Room! We look back on how this thing got started in the first place, tal...
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260 – Hanging Out with Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan from 2022-07-24T15:00:02
Real hobbits arrive at the Prancing Pony, as Alan and Shawn welcome Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan (better known as Pippin and Merry) for our season finale! We talk about their time working on Pet...
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259 – Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) from 2022-07-17T15:00:02
Sam desperately tries to get through the blocked passage while the Orc captains — oblivious that their eaves are being dropped — continue complaining about their bosses (side note: we’re seriously ...
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258 – We Can Be Heroes, Just for One Day from 2022-07-10T15:00:02
Letting logic guide him rather than emotion, Sam has made up his mind to leave Frodo’s body where it is and take the Ring to Mount Doom all by himself… except that he hasn’t, and soon the arrival o...
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257 – There’s a Star, Man from 2022-06-26T15:00:02
Samwise returns to where he left Frodo in the pass of Cirith Ungol, only to discover his master already defeated and being dragged away by Shelob. Acting on instinct, Sam leaps into action, armed w...
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256 – Questions After Nightfall 19 from 2022-06-19T15:00:02
Alan and Shawn welcome listeners once again to join us in the common-room for our latest Q&A episode! Dwarf-fans rejoice as we answer questions about the Book of Mazarbul, and the other kindreds of...
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255 – She Never Begs, She Knows How to Choose Them from 2022-06-12T15:00:03
The appearance of the biggest cobwebs he’s ever seen gives Sam some hope that he’s at least dealing with something he understands, and fortunately cutting through them is easy enough with the right...
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254 – She’s Got (Eight) Legs, She Knows How to Use Them from 2022-06-05T15:00:02
Frodo and Sam follow Gollum into the tunnel, but they’re greeted by a stench and a palpable darkness that are far from welcoming. Soon they are lost in a maze in the dark, unsure how long they’ve b...
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253 – …That Leads to Mordor from 2022-05-29T15:00:09
The hobbits take a quick rest stop before the last leg of the journey down into Mordor, and in a moment of contemplation, Sam imparts some newfound wisdom about the nature of adventures and the sto...
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252 – The Long and Winding Stair… from 2022-05-22T15:00:02
Overcome by despair at the sight of the Witch-king’s army, Frodo fears that his quest has already failed. But ever-practical Samwise snaps him out of it, and Frodo continues on with determination d...
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251 – Don’t Stop and Don’t Smell the Flowers from 2022-05-15T15:00:03
When the lights go down near the city of the Ringwraiths, Gollum is anxious to continue east as quickly as possible. Frodo and Sam follow, heedless of the danger — which is all around in this place...
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250 – In the Sunshine of Your Love from 2022-05-08T15:00:02
A new day begins, but doesn’t quite “dawn”, and Gollum leads the hobbits down to the cross-roads. They clearly aren’t in decent places anymore, with loud noises and orc graffiti keeping them all on...
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249 – Down to the Crossroads from 2022-05-01T15:00:02
Frodo, Sam, and Gollum leave Henneth Annûn and continue on their quest with Faramir’s blessing and two (not three) shiny new hobbit-sized walking sticks. Gollum is totally over that betrayal busine...
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248 – Much More Than Skin Deep: An Interview with Clifford Broadway from 2022-04-24T15:00:02
Be hasty to tune in as Alan and Shawn welcome Clifford Broadway to The Prancing Pony Podcast! Clifford (also known as Quickbeam) has been on staff at TheOneRing.net since 1999, nearly from the begi...
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247 – Everybody Out of the Pool from 2022-04-10T15:00:03
Frodo convinces Gollum to leave the Forbidden Pool, not without some feelings of regret at his betrayal of the wretched creature. After a brief interrogation, Faramir is satisfied that Gollum knows...
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246 – Return of the Giant Squirrel from 2022-04-03T15:00:02
Frodo is awakened by Faramir in the middle of the night to be treated to a sight he did not expect: a familiar-looking creature fishing in the pool below the waterfall. After Faramir pokes more gen...
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245 – Questions After Nightfall 18 from 2022-03-27T15:00:02
Alan and Shawn once again welcome listeners to the common room for our latest Q&A episode! This time we answer questions about themes in Tolkien’s legendarium, talk about favorite niches in Tolkien...
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244 – Tolkien Reading Day 2022 from 2022-03-20T15:00:02
Bring a friend and come along with us for our seventh annual celebration of Tolkien Reading Day, observed every March 25 in honor of the fall of Barad-dûr. This year’s theme chosen by the Tolkien S...
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243 – Just a Little Bit of Peril from 2022-03-13T15:00:03
Faramir continues wowing the hobbits with his knowledge of Gondorian history, prompting Sam to one-up him with a recitation of his new spoken word piece “Fifty Things I Love About Galadriel”. But t...
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242 – And the People Did Feast from 2022-03-06T16:00:02
It’s supper time at Henneth Annûn, and Faramir‘s men set out the evening meal. Soon the plates and the goblets are full (then empty, then full again) and Frodo and Faramir are chatting away about a...
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241 – There Are Some Who Call Me… Tharkûn from 2022-02-27T16:00:02
Frodo learns the identity of the wandering wizard Faramir calls the Grey Pilgrim, and it’s exactly who he thinks (which is to say it’s not John Cleese in horned headgear). But that just means there...
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240 – Bereft of Life, He Rests in Peace from 2022-02-20T16:00:02
Too soon? Probably so, because Frodo’s just learned that Boromir is dead — oh, and the guy interrogating him is the brother of the deceased. He questions Faramir’s vision of the funeral boat, but F...
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The Rings of Power Reminder from 2022-02-14T15:00:03
Our NEW episode on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is out today, and we talk at length about the Vanity Fair article and the trailer that released during the Super Bowl last night! But, f...
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239 – Nobody Expects the Mannish Inquisition from 2022-02-13T16:00:02
Sam awakens from his nap (honestly, the guy can sleep anywhere) to find Frodo standing before the Rangers of Ithilien, as if on trial. Faramir presses the witness for information about his quest, b...
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The Rings of Power Wrap-up - 001 - Reviewing the Hype from 2022-02-12T22:00:03
Join us for a discussion of what we know so far about 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power', as we discuss the maps, that image with Two famous Trees, the title drop, and the 23 character ima...
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The PPP Presents: The Rings of Power Wrap-up Teaser Trailer from 2022-02-11T06:36:27
In a startling parallel to a moment that took place six years ago, we launch an entirely new Tolkien-related podcast! Enjoy this teaser trailer for The Prancing Pony Podcast Presents: 'The Rings of...
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238 – Gondor Calling from 2022-02-06T16:00:01
With Gollum missing in action, Frodo and Sam get ready to flee from whoever is making the mysterious bird-calls. Soon they’re trapped by tall men with tall spears and tall bows, and explaining them...
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237 – Should I Stew or Should I Go Now from 2022-01-30T16:00:02
While Frodo rests, Gollum is away hunting for something to eat besides lembas. He returns with two rabbits, which Sam is happy to make a meal out of — but two cooks in this kitchen is too many, and...
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236 – Go Straight to Smells, Boys from 2022-01-23T16:00:01
After the sun sets on the Black Gate, Frodo, Sam, and Gollum set out and take the road south towards Minas Morgul. They soon find themselves in the “garden of Gondor”: Ithilien, a land of fragrant ...
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235 – All Along the Watchtower from 2022-01-16T16:00:02
There must be some kind of way out of here… and in fact, it’s right down the road to the south, to the side door into Mordor near Minas Ithil (which Gollum doesn’t seem to realize has been renamed ...
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234 – Knockin’ on Sauron’s Door from 2022-01-09T16:00:03
Move over, Saruman! There’s a new contender in the running for Worst Curb Appeal in Middle-earth, and he’s got noise coming out of the place at all hours to boot. But after taking in the awesome un...
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233 – Questions After Nightfall 17 from 2021-12-19T16:00:02
Just in time for the holidays, it’s the gift that keeps on giving: a new Q&A episode! We answer timely questions about Frodo, Sam, and Gollum as they make their way to Mordor, and offer up our brut...
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232 – Don't Stand So Close to Me from 2021-12-12T16:00:02
The wraith on wings is gone, and our heroes appear not to have been noticed. But as the marshes come to an end and the walls of Mordor loom closer, Sméagol is at odds with himself — literally — on ...
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231 – Spirits in the Material World from 2021-12-05T16:00:01
Frodo and Sam follow their travel guide Gollum through the Dead Marshes — it’s not the tour package we would have chosen, but who are we to judge? — and are far more shaken up than Gollum is by the...
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230 – Choking on a Crust of Bread from 2021-11-21T16:00:10
Sméagol proves to be willing and able to show Frodo and Sam the way to Mordor, now that his promise on the Precious keeps him from running away (though Sting is still at hand to police him if neces...
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229 – Always Reaching: An Interview with John Howe from 2021-11-14T16:00:10
Alan and Shawn welcome John Howe to the Prancing Pony Podcast! Over the past several decades John has established himself as one of the most enduringly popular Middle-earth artists, and his work ha...
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228 – Where Sméagols Swear from 2021-11-07T16:00:09
Gollum is disinclined to acquiesce to Frodo’s request to lead them to Mordor, and he tries to escape when he thinks the hobbits aren’t looking. Sam has thirty ells’ worth of good reasons for Gollum...
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227 – Where Sméagols Dare from 2021-10-31T15:00:11
Three episodes into the chapter, we finally meet Sméagol… and the other fellow sharing his brain. Sam jumps the creeping, crawling creature at the bottom of the cliff, which goes about as well for ...
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226 – Places High from 2021-10-24T15:00:17
The shrieking cry of what might sound like a Ringwraith if they weren’t destroyed forever at the Ford of Bruinen (They were, right? Right!?) makes Frodo lose his grip and his sight while climbing d...
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225 – Strangers in a Strange Land from 2021-10-17T15:00:17
We finally begin our readthrough of Book IV of The Lord of the Rings with “The Taming of Sméagol”! All alone after fleeing Parth Galen, Frodo and Sam are lost among the barren slopes of the Emyn Mu...
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224 – Whose Story Line Is It Anyway? from 2021-10-10T15:00:11
One does not simply walk into Mordor without a recap, so before we start our readthrough of Book IV of The Lord of the Rings, we’re reviewing previous chapters to reacquaint ourselves with a couple...
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223 – Questions After Nightfall 16 from 2021-10-03T15:00:11
It’s our first live Q&A episode of the season, which means Alan and Shawn have got our speculating caps on for another round of questions from our guests! We field questions on the married life of ...
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222 – Double Nelson: The 222nd Episode Extravaganza from 2021-09-26T15:00:17
For the second time in history, Alan and Shawn throw a party of special magnificence to celebrate a milestone: 222 episodes of the PPP! Once again, we look back at some of our best moments from the...
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221 – Dancing Bears: An Interview with Carl F. Hostetter from 2021-09-19T15:00:02
We start our sixth season in style by welcoming Carl F. Hostetter to the podcast! In addition to his role as chief editor of Vinyar Tengwar, Carl has authored articles on Tolkien’s languages for de...
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Announcement - Missing Episodes from 2021-08-22T21:36:20
A brief update from Alan & Shawn about the ongoing issue of episodes missing from Apple Podcasts, and where to find them in the meantime.
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220 – The Worst of Times from 2021-08-01T15:00:11
While Gandalf and Aragorn ponder the evening’s events and finally identify the object of Pippin’s affections as the palantír of Orthanc, a Nazgûl flies overhead — which means it’s time for Gandalf ...
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219 – Crystal Ball from 2021-07-25T15:00
With the Saruman situation handled, Gandalf settles in for a leisurely journey back to Helm’s Deep with Merry dangling behind him. Pippin, however, is obsessing over the shiny, round and apparently...
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218 – Renegade from 2021-07-18T15:00:17
Unable to persuade Théoden, Saruman now tries to sway Gandalf, not realizing his former underling has gotten a promotion and executive sponsorship for his project since the last time they touched b...
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217 – Fooling Yourself (The Angry Old Man) from 2021-07-11T15:00:22
Fully fed, fully caught up, and fully reeking of pipe-weed, our heroes enter Isengard, where Gandalf demands to speak with Saruman at the foot of Orthanc. The Until-recently-white Wizard refuses to...
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216 – Questions After Nightfall 15 from 2021-07-04T15:00:09
It’s time for another live Q&A episode, this time with more questions than ever before heard on a single episode of the Prancing Pony Podcast! Join Alan and Shawn as we field questions on Entish na...
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215 – (Flash)Back in Black from 2021-06-27T15:00:05
The epic flashback continues as Pippin and Merry continue their story with a play-by-play account of the destruction of Isengard, expertly managed by their new partners at Fangorn, Bregalad and Ass...
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214 – Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap from 2021-06-20T15:00:09
The reunited members of the Fellowship of the Ring (minus Gandalf, who’s off hobnobbing with kings and trees) get some valuable bro time amid the flotsam and jetsam of Isengard. Merry and Pippin ha...
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213 – Let There Be (Lots of Broken) Rock from 2021-06-13T15:00:17
The company reaches Isengard and discovers that property values have tanked in recent months, and it’s no wonder why when they see how poorly Saruman’s been maintaining his yard. Holes in the groun...
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212 – Highway to Dell from 2021-06-06T15:00:12
As the company exits the mysterious forest, Legolas looks back and is enchanted by the trees and their eyes — a perfectly ordinary thing for trees to have, obviously. Before Gimli makes a run for i...
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211 – For Those About to (Rave About a) Rock, We Salute You from 2021-05-30T15:00:16
After a long night, the heroes of Helm’s Deep reunite on the grass by a stream near a forest that, uh, wasn’t there yesterday… but we’ll get to that later. Legolas and Gimli check the final score o...
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210 – Live from PPP Moot 2021 from 2021-05-23T15:00:02
If you missed out on the PPP’s first-ever digital moot, here’s a chance to hear what you missed — or relive it, if you were there — in this episode recorded live during the second day of the moot! ...
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209 – Pyromania from 2021-05-16T15:00:04
An explosion rocks the Deeping Wall, and soon there are more as Saruman’s blasting fires make what little hope the heroes had go up in smoke. But as dawn approaches, Aragorn still believes that vic...
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208 – White Lightning from 2021-05-09T15:00:08
The Rohirrim, led by Théoden and Éomer (with lots of help from Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli), man the Deeping Wall and the Hornburg as Saruman’s assault on Helm’s Deep begins. A quick flash of light...
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207 – Rock of Ages from 2021-05-02T15:00:03
Théoden and Gandalf lead the host of the Rohirrim towards the fords of the Isen to strengthen the forces holding back Saruman’s army. But when they meet a rider coming back from the front line with...
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206 – I Saw Her Standing There from 2021-04-25T15:00:07
Théoden offers Wormtongue one last chance to redeem himself, but the counsellor is disinclined to acquiesce to his lord’s request. As Gríma’s stain is (literally) washed away, Gandalf and the king ...
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205 – Here Comes the Sun from 2021-04-18T15:00:21
Upon entering the Golden Hall, Gandalf is challenged once again; this time by Wormtongue, the king’s counsellor who may not exactly have Rohan’s best interests in mind. Gandalf puts the worm in its...
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204 – The Long and Winding Road from 2021-04-11T15:00:19
Our heroes ride up the long and winding road that leads to Théoden’s door, but first they have to get through two sets of guards. Fortunately, Gandalf’s polyglottal talents get them through the fir...
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203 – Questions After Nightfall 14 from 2021-03-28T15:00:11
Before we return to The Lord of the Rings for the further adventures of The White Rider and Friends in Rohan, we spend some time in the common-room with listeners for another quarterly live Q&A epi...
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202 – Tolkien Reading Day 2021 from 2021-03-21T15:00:10
Happy Tolkien Reading Day! On March 25 every year — the date of the fall of Barad-dûr — Tolkien lovers worldwide celebrate by reading the Professor’s works. A theme is chosen by The Tolkien Society...
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201 – A Nice Day for a White Wizard from 2021-03-14T15:00:05
The newly-minted Gandalf the White advises the Three Hunters to leave the Hobbits in the strong, twiggy hands of Treebeard and go to Edoras. They agree, but Legolas still wants to know how Gandalf ...
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200 – A Whiter Shade of Grey from 2021-03-07T16:00:07
The old man is revealed to be an old friend: Gandalf the (Formerly) Grey, returned beyond hope from death in battle with the Balrog of Moria. Enhanced in power and in insight, Gandalf gets caught u...
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199 – Pretty Spry (For a Grey Guy) from 2021-02-28T16:00:20
Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli follow the trail of the missing hobbits, gradually drawing closer to the forbidding fringes of Fangorn Forest. They find new signs that give them hope, but the Dwarf can’...
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198 – Never Enough Tolkien: An Interview with Ted Nasmith from 2021-02-21T16:00:11
We welcome the acclaimed illustrator Ted Nasmith back to The Prancing Pony Podcast for his first full-length interview! We catch up with Ted about life, art, and everything else since we last spoke...
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197 – Birnam Wood as It Should Have Been from 2021-02-14T16:00:10
Waiting for the Ents to make a decision turns out to be an exercise in patience for Merry and Pippin, until Treebeard mercifully excuses them from the proceedings. He leaves them in the company of ...
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196 – Branch Managers' Meeting from 2021-02-07T16:00:08
At Wellinghall, Merry and Pippin learn more about the Ents’ hope for the future (in song form!) and get some sleep — horizontally — before leaving in the morning for Entmoot under the protective bo...
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195 – The Birches and the Beeches from 2021-01-31T16:00:02
After hearing Merry and Pippin’s account of their recent adventures, Treebeard starts talking (and doesn’t stop) about wizards, ecopolitics, and “the one that got away”. Unfortunately, spokesplants...
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194 – Tree’s Company from 2021-01-24T16:00:11
Merry and Pippin travel deeper into Fangorn Forest with a guided tour (really more of a picked-up-and-carried tour) provided by Treebeard. Their host may be more wooden than Alan and Shawn, but he’...
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193 – Out on a Limb from 2021-01-17T16:00:08
Escaping from mortal danger into deadly peril, Merry and Pippin wander into Fangorn Forest. The place seems more strange than scary, but it’s far from welcoming; and an offhand comment by Pippin ab...
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192 - Race, Tolkien, and Middle-earth, Revisited from 2021-01-10T16:00:03
Following up on our previous examination of race in Tolkien’s work in Episode 114, today we welcome listeners of different racial and ethnic backgrounds to join us and share their experiences of To...
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191 - A Trick of the Took from 2020-12-20T16:00:03
Now ringed in by the Rohirrim, the Orcs wait for reinforcements, all the while continuing their civilized parliamentary deliberations. On the committee agenda: 1. You’re a maggot. 2. That guy’s an ...
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190 - Follow Uruks, Follow Me from 2020-12-13T16:00:12
The Hobbits continue their zero-star walking tour of Rohan, trudging along with the Orcs in an endless tunnel of misery with nary a pub nor a B&B in sight. But the feel of wet grass between his hai...
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189 - Supper’s Ready from 2020-12-06T16:00:09
Looks like meat’s back on the menu as we pick up the tale of Pippin and Merry and their delightful hosts: an army of Orcs on their way to Isengard. Merry is apparently down for the count, but Pippi...
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188 - Questions After Nightfall 13 from 2020-11-22T16:00:17
While Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli look for their horses, we welcome listeners to the common-room for our last live Q&A episode of 2020! As always, the questions are unrehearsed, so hearing us muddle...
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187 - The Old Man and the Coconuts from 2020-11-15T16:00:15
Éomer bends the rules “just this once” to let the wanderers go free in Rohan, and even lends them cocon— uh, horses* to ride, on the condition that after they find the bodies— uh, their friends*, t...
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186 - A Man That Has No Coconut from 2020-11-08T16:00:16
Éomer, Third Marshal of the Riddermark, demands proper identification from the Three Hunters, and Aragorn gives it to him by name-dropping a lineage going back three thousand years and unsheathing ...
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185 - Proud Riders on Proud Coconuts from 2020-11-01T16:00:21
The Three Hunters continue their pursuit across the plains, their hearts growing wearier due to the physical effects of Saruman’s opposing will. A new sunrise brings new counsel, and a chance meeti...
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184 - The Land of the Coconut-Lords from 2020-10-25T15:25:16
Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli pursue the Orcs taking Merry and Pippin through Rohan, where the folk of Eorl raise the greatest cocon— uh, horses. Real-life horses. But the Orcs are moving quickly, no...
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183 - Wind and Brothering from 2020-10-18T15:00:18
The three remaining members of the Fellowship of the Ring (as far as they know) prepare Boromir for his last journey down the Anduin, and as the son of Denethor floats away they eulogize their fall...
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182 - And Then There Were Three from 2020-10-11T15:00:20
Still searching for Frodo after the chaotic events of the previous chapter, Aragorn is interrupted by the sound of Boromir’s horn. He arrives on the scene just in time to bid farewell to the fallen...
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181 - Two Shall Be the Number of the Towers from 2020-10-04T15:00:10
And the number of the towers shall be two. Or three. Or… five? If it’s not clear yet, we’ll clear it up in this introduction to Book III of The Lord of the Rings, and the second volume of the not-r...
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180 - Questions After Nightfall 12 from 2020-09-27T15:00:07
Before we return to The Lord of the Rings with Book III, we welcome guest listeners to the common-room for our first Q&A episode of the season! As always, we don’t know the questions ahead of time,...
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179 - A Pandemic of Moots from 2020-09-20T15:00:09
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations like the Tolkien Society and Signum University have held their annual gatherings (Oxonmoot and Mythmoot) online in 2020. Alan and Shawn begin the...
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178 - Hard Choices and Strange Voices: An Interview with Verlyn Flieger from 2020-08-09T15:00:16
Alan and Shawn welcome Verlyn Flieger back to The Prancing Pony Podcast to finish out our fourth season! We catch up with her on Beowulf, free will, and the mistakes of Túrin (because who can resis...
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177 - Exit... Stage Left from 2020-08-02T15:00:18
While Frodo and Boromir are away “talking”, the Company (still not officially called “the Fellowship", but that won’t stop us) attempt to reach a decision about where to go — or rather, who’s to go...
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176 - Grace Under Pressure from 2020-07-26T15:00:14
The Fellowship stop at Parth Galen to rest and make the decision they’ve been putting off since Lórien: to go west to Minas Tirith, or east to Mordor. Frodo asks for an hour alone to make his decis...
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175 - Time Stand Still from 2020-07-19T15:00:04
Gimli gives mad props to Legolas for shooting down the — whatever that thing was — while Frodo (who knows exactly what that thing was) deals with some stuff. Sam’s perplexed at having lost count of...
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174 - Drifting by the Limlight (The Universally Creepy Dream) from 2020-07-12T15:00:15
Floating down the Anduin, the Fellowship put off their next move for a few days after leaving Lórien. Sam’s not sure if he’s most scared of the trees, the lack of trees, or the curiously Gollum-sha...
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173 - Questions After Nightfall 11 from 2020-06-28T15:00
Join us once again as we welcome guest listeners to the common-room for our eleventh unscripted Q&A episode! Looks like Elves are back on the menu (that came out way weirder than we meant it to) as...
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172 - Bye, Company (Till the Day You Die) from 2020-06-21T15:00
Galadriel says farewell with a few extra-special gifts for the extra-special members of the Fellowship while the others sit back and grumble about their belts and stuff. Gimli — unfazed by Celeborn...
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171 - Can't Get Enough of Your Leaves from 2020-06-14T15:00
Now outfitted with boats, travel gear, and road snacks, the Fellowship leave Lothlórien. They make it just a little way down the river before they’re attacked by a gargantuan swan (which is just a ...
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170 - Feel Like Bakin' Loaves from 2020-06-07T15:00
Galadriel and Celeborn test the Fellowship once again by kindly inviting them to leave Lothlórien and not let the light plaited screen hit them on the way out. The Company are all ready to move on,...
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169 – The Grand Illusion from 2020-05-31T15:00
Galadriel welcomes Frodo and Sam to come on in and see what’s happening with her Mirror. Sam receives a vision of some devilry at work in the Shire; but the Mirror is dangerous as a guide of deeds,...
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168 - Too Much Time on Their Hands from 2020-05-24T15:00
The Fellowship pass “some days” in Lórien as guests of Galadriel and Celeborn (though not the kind of guests who actually get to see or speak to their hosts), and get plenty of recovery, escape, an...
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167 - You're My Lady from 2020-05-17T15:00
The Fellowship comes to Caras Galadhon — the city of Lothlórien — where lights twinkle like stars in trees as tall as skyscrapers. After climbing to a high a and enormous flet they are greeted by M...
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166 – Inspiration in Unlikely (and Likely) Places: An Interview with John Garth from 2020-05-10T15:00
Alan and Shawn are pleased to welcome John Garth back to the podcast to talk about his upcoming book, The Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien. It gives us an unprecedented look at the places that inspired Tol...
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165 - Just a Little Bit of Peril from 2020-05-03T15:00
The Fellowship are led through Lothlórien blindfolded, and yes, Legolas is still complaining. Deprived of his sight, Frodo’s heightened senses take in the sounds, the smells, and the feel of the wo...
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164 - Nobody Expected the Elvish Insinuation from 2020-04-26T15:00
Haldir of Lórien greets the Fellowship (the less beardy fellows, at least) as friends and invites them to spend the night in his magic treehouse. Poor Gimli is deemed a spy just for being a Dwarf i...
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163 - Strange Women Singing in Streams from 2020-04-19T15:00
No basis for a system of government, maybe, but it’s a perfectly good reason for an Elf to wax poetic about the good old days (or the bad ones… but it’s not the Dwarves’ fault). After Legolas tells...
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162 - 'Tis but a Scratch from 2020-04-05T15:00
The Fellowship mourns Gandalf quickly before moving on to put as much distance as possible between themselves and Moria. Gimli makes a quick stop at a legendary Dwarvish tourist attraction, but Ara...
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161 - Questions After Nightfall 10 from 2020-03-29T15:00
Pull up a seat near the log-fire as we welcome a few guest listeners to our tenth quarterly unscripted Q&A episode! It’s a small gathering in the common-room tonight, and we take our time answering...
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160 - Tolkien Reading Day Special 2020 from 2020-03-22T15:00
Happy Tolkien Reading Day! On March 25 every year — the date of the fall of Barad-dûr — Tolkien lovers worldwide celebrate by reading the Professor’s works. A theme is chosen by The Tolkien Society...
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159 - A Farewell to Wings from 2020-03-15T15:00
On a very special episode of the Prancing Pony Podcast, we come to the most divisive question in Tolkien fandom: are Balrogs left-handed? No, wait, it’s the other one about Balrog physiology, and w...
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158 - Troll the Bones from 2020-03-08T15:20:05
Gandalf discovers a damaged book documenting the Dwarves’ doomed attempt to retake Moria. They read with growing horror about the fates of Balin, Ori, and others; but at least they now know where t...
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157 - Don't Stop Believin' from 2020-03-01T16:00
Following an insensitive remark about the “darksome” halls of Khazad-dûm by Samwise at bedtime, Gimli delivers an impassioned defense of his people’s lifestyle choices — in verse — and Gandalf give...
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156 - Any Way You Want It (Just Not the Middle Way) from 2020-02-23T16:00
Frodo feels a sense of growing dread — and hears faint footsteps behind them — as the Fellowship marches across the long dark of Moria, navigating the twists and turns with only Gandalf’s memory as...
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155 - Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin' from 2020-02-16T16:00
The Fellowship has found the Hollin Gate! But before they can enter Moria, they need to figure out the password. Merry stumbles upon a clue quickly, but no one notices, and Gandalf proceeds to shou...
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154 - Separate Ways from 2020-02-09T16:00
After the warg attack the weather changes again, becoming sunny and clear. That’s terrible news, of course, since now the Fellowship is visible to any unfriendly eyes that may be watching. They mus...
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153 - When the Lights Go Down from 2020-02-02T16:00
Defeated by Caradhras, the Fellowship regroups and discusses what to do next. Going back — though supported by the second-breakfast faction — is not a viable option. Boromir, who was apparently nap...
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152 - Trampled Under Snow from 2020-01-26T16:00
The crossing of cruel Caradhras is hindered by snow, wind, and falling stones that seem to be sent by some supernatural force. Who or what is against them is unclear, but it is clear that continuin...
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151 - Misty Mountain Hop from 2020-01-19T16:00
The Fellowship is forced to leave Hollin early when “no sign of life nearby” turns into “giant evil crows filling the sky”. Certain they are being watched, they get moving as soon as possible and m...
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150 - Time to Ramble On from 2020-01-12T16:00
On a cold grey winter evening, Frodo sets out on the Quest of Mount Doom with eight companions. Boromir blows his horn to make sure everyone for miles around knows about their “secret” departure, a...
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149 - Good Times Bad Times from 2020-01-05T16:00
We resume the narrative with the first part of “The Ring Goes South”, as Frodo and his friends come to terms with the decisions made at the Council of Elrond. But the Ring isn’t going anywhere for ...
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148 - Questions After Nightfall 9 from 2019-12-15T16:00
Alan and Shawn once again open the doors of the common-room to our listeners for live, unscripted Q&A! We shoot from the hip on questions about “wild men”, Frodo’s mental resilience, and whether Fë...
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147 - Tales from the Perilous Green Room: An Interview with Brian Sibley from 2019-12-08T16:00
Alan and Shawn are thrilled to welcome back Brian Sibley for his first full-episode interview! A writer and broadcaster, Brian has been responsible for beloved adaptations of Tolkien’s work such as...
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146 - Bring It on Home from 2019-11-24T16:00
The Council of Elrond draws to a close, and options are finally debated about what to do with the One Ring. But the easy way is obviously the wrong way, the hard way seems impossible; and frankly, ...
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145 - What Is and What Should Never Be from 2019-11-17T16:00
Frodo finally learns why Gandalf never came as promised: Saruman the (Until Recently) White has turned to the dark side! The betrayal sinks in as the wizard tells the tale of his imprisonment at Or...
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144 - Nobody's Fault but Mine (and Yours, and Isildur's) from 2019-11-10T16:00
Gandalf and Elrond come to terms with their own past mistakes while Aragorn reveals the lengths to which he’s gone to repair the faults of Isildur. As the story continues to unfold, the truth becom...
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143 - Whole Lotta Lore from 2019-11-03T14:00
The Council of Elrond continues with a brief history of Arnor and Gondor since Isildur’s time, and Boromir begins to learn the meaning of the riddle that brought him to Rivendell. He takes the reve...
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142 - Confustication Breakdown (with special guest Corey Olsen) from 2019-10-27T15:00
The Council of Elrond begins, and to help us bring the meeting to order, we welcome Corey Olsen — the Tolkien Professor himself — to the Prancing Pony Podcast! We start with a conversation about th...
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141 - Starship Trooper from 2019-10-20T15:00
With his friends all gone, Frodo stays in the Hall of Fire listening to the minstrels of Rivendell. The Elvish singing speaks to him in sweet accustomed ways, and he wanders enchanted for longer th...
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140 - I've Seen All Good People from 2019-10-13T15:00
Now taking a straight and stronger course to recovery, Frodo feels it’s time for food, drink, and merrymaking. He has a brief reunion with Sam, then with Merry and Pippin before they’re all moved o...
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139 - Close to the Edge from 2019-10-06T15:00
We return to the text of The Lord of the Rings with the first chapter of Book II! Frodo awakens in Rivendell after the incident down by the river to find Gandalf beside him. Now that it’s all over ...
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138 - Questions After Nightfall 8 from 2019-09-29T15:00
Alan and Shawn welcome a cozy group of listeners to the common-room for another round of live, unscripted questions about Tolkien, the podcast, and more! We return to the Ford of Bruinen to figure ...
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137 - Go Back to the Beginning from 2019-09-22T15:00
That’s what Vizzini told us to do, so we have. As we shake off the jet lag and learn to live again without full English breakfasts and a steady supply of fish and chips, we look back at Book I of T...
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136 - Live from Tolkien 2019 from 2019-09-15T15:00
Alan and Shawn reunite in person for a live recording from Tolkien 2019 in Birmingham, England! We interviewed several special guests at the conference, including returning guests (Marquette Univer...
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135 – Things You Don’t Want to Say No To: An Interview with Wayne Hammond&Christina Scull from 2019-08-04T15:00
We end Season 3 by welcoming Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull to the podcast! This renowned husband-wife team have co-authored some of the most essential books in Tolkien studies. In addition t...
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134 – White Horses Could Drag Me Away from 2019-07-28T15:00
Strider is remarkably not disappointed that the Elf who’s overtaken them on the road is not his girlfriend. It’s Glorfindel of Rivendell; and for listeners who remember our episodes on the fall of ...
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133 - It's Only Rock (Not Trolls) But I Like It from 2019-07-21T15:00
Strider’s path to Rivendell leads the hobbits through rough terrain; all the while, the days get colder and Frodo gradually succumbs to the evil effects of the Witch-king’s blade. A bad situation s...
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132 - Ranger's Little Helper from 2019-07-14T15:00
Frodo awakens, wounded and bewildered, after the attack on Weathertop. Believing they’ve been led into a trap, Sam is certain (again) that Strider is not to be trusted, but the Ranger proves himsel...
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131 - Visualizing Middle-earth: An Interview with Greg Hildebrandt from 2019-06-30T15:00
Alan and Shawn are pleased to welcome Greg Hildebrandt to the Prancing Pony Podcast! An iconic artist and illustrator, Greg (together with his twin brother Tim as the Brothers Hildebrandt) helped a...
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130 - Questions After Nightfall 7 from 2019-06-23T15:00
It’s our most Bombadilicious episode yet! Once again, Alan and Shawn open the common-room to listeners for live, unscripted questions that we answer on the spot as best we can. This time around we ...
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129 - Fooled on the Hill from 2019-06-16T15:00
Evening falls on Weathertop, and our heroes make camp beneath the stars with the Black Riders not far away. Strider tells stories to chase away their fears, covering most of The Silmarillion in a l...
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128 - Magical Mystery Tour from 2019-06-09T15:00
Strider leads the hobbits through the mysterious (and not entirely comforting) ruins of ancient kingdoms of Men along the road to Weathertop, with the hope of meeting Gandalf there. The Ranger’s kn...
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127 - Twelve-Penny Lane from 2019-06-02T15:00
Black Riders attack the inn during the night, so Strider opts for an early check-out to get out of Bree quickly. They soon discover that Merry’s ponies are missing, delaying their departure; but Ba...
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126 - Noble Enough to Know What's Right from 2019-05-26T15:00
Frodo reads Gandalf’s letter, more concerned than ever at the wizard’s absence and the delay caused by Barliman. But at least the letter confirms Strider’s identity, and Frodo is wise enough to cho...
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125 - A Writer and a Ranger from 2019-05-19T15:00
We begin with a review of the new biographical film Tolkien (spoilers: see below) before moving on to the first half of Book I, Chapter 10. Frodo, Sam, and Pippin retire to their parlor after the “...
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124 - Living in the Limelight from 2019-05-12T15:00
Cast in his unlikely role as “Mr. Underhill”, Frodo tries to keep a low profile at the Prancing Pony. But the attention he’s getting from a shady-looking Ranger approaches the unreal, and someone h...
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123 - Be Cool or Be Cast Out from 2019-05-05T15:00
Frodo and his friends make their way to Bree, and to an inn with a strangely familiar name, in the first half of “At the Sign of the Prancing Pony”. The Men of Bree are an independent people, cheer...
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122 - The Digital Mead-Hall: TexMoot 2019 Keynote Presentation from 2019-04-28T15:00
In January, Alan and Shawn were honored to be the keynote speakers at Signum University’s second annual Texas Literature & Language Symposium (“TexMoot”) in Waco, Texas! Our talk, recorded live, ex...
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121 - Comfortably Tom from 2019-04-14T15:00
In the final pages of “Fog on the Barrow-downs”, the hobbits — now armed with nice, shiny daggers — reluctantly take their leave of Tom Bombadil. Before we say goodbye to Tom, we give the greatest ...
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120 - Wish You Weren't Here from 2019-04-07T15:00
As we resume “Fog on the Barrow-downs”, Frodo comes to and finds himself trapped in a barrow with his friends unconscious beside him, arrayed eerily in the buried treasures of long-dead lords. For ...
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119 - The Dark Side of the Tomb from 2019-03-31T15:00
We begin the chilling chapter “Fog on the Barrow-downs” on the hobbits’ last morning in the house of Tom Bombadil and Goldberry. Soon they must be off again and into the haunted hills beyond; but t...
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118 - Tolkien Reading Day Special 2019 from 2019-03-24T15:00
Happy Tolkien Reading Day! On March 25 every year – the date of the fall of Barad-dûr – Tolkien lovers worldwide celebrate by reading the Professor’s works. A theme is chosen by The Tolkien Society...
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117 - Questions After Nightfall 6 from 2019-03-17T15:00
Alan and Shawn once again welcome several of our listeners to the Prancing Pony Podcast for live, unscripted “Ask Me Anything”–style questions. In this episode, we give our best on-the-spot answers...
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116 - Does Goldberry Float in Water? from 2019-03-10T15:00
The hobbits experience a rain delay the morning after their first night in the house of Tom Bombadil, and Frodo couldn’t be happier. While Goldberry does her “washing”, Tom regales his guests with ...
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115 - Fetch the Comfy Chairs from 2019-03-03T16:00
Frodo and friends get comfortable in the first half of “In the House of Tom Bombadil,” and Alan and Shawn finally begin to unwrap the enigma that is Tom and his wife Goldberry. While the hobbits ea...
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114 - Race, Tolkien, and Middle-earth from 2019-02-24T16:00
For the first time ever, the Prancing Pony Podcast is proud to release one of our patron-exclusive episodes to our general audience. In this special originally released in October 2018, we take a s...
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113 - Trouble with the Trees from 2019-02-17T16:00
It’s nap time in the Old Forest as our heroes gradually succumb to the power of an ancient and angry willow. Sam rolls a natural 20 to resist the spell and manages to save Frodo, but Merry and Pipp...
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112 - Unrest in the Forest from 2019-02-10T16:00
Frodo and his companions enter into the Old Forest in the first part of Book I, Chapter 6 of The Lord of the Rings. Merry has been beyond the Hedge before and does his best to guide them, but it’s ...
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111 - Eleventy-first Episode Extravaganza from 2019-02-03T16:00
Alan and Shawn are celebrating their eleventy-first episode with a party of special magnificence! But instead of inviting you to a feast and risking a possible appearance by the Sackville-Bagginses...
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110 - With a Little Help from My Friends from 2019-01-27T16:00
A conspiracy is finally unmasked in the second half of “A Conspiracy Unmasked”! Frodo’s dread turns to relief when he learns his friends already know much more than he gave them credit for. They in...
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109 - Hello, Goodbye from 2019-01-20T16:00
In the first half of Book I, Chapter 5 of The Lord of the Rings, the Hobbits cross the Brandywine and come to Frodo’s new digs at Crickhollow, where a hot bath and all the comforts of home await th...
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108 - Ain't Gonna Walk on Maggot's Farm No More from 2019-01-13T16:00
The second half of “A Short Cut to Mushrooms” finds Frodo almost as scared of Farmer Maggot as he is of the Black Rider following him. His fears are quickly eased, however, and he finds a good frie...
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107 - The Nazgûl is Wailin' in the Wind from 2019-01-06T16:00
We begin the new year with a Tolkien Fun Fact in honor of the Professor’s birthday before starting on Book I, Chapter 4 of The Lord of the Rings, “A Short Cut to Mushrooms.” Frodo, Sam, and Pippin ...
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An Evergreen PPP Holiday Event - The Father Christmas Letters from 2018-12-23T16:41
In what has officially become an annual event, join Alan and Shawn as they use the wayback machine to revisit episode 028 in this special director's cut re-release of our episode on Letters From Fa...
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106 - Questions After Nightfall 5 from 2018-12-16T16:00
It’s time once again for Alan and Shawn to welcome several visitors to the Prancing Pony! Hear us stay mostly on topic as we attempt to answer live, unscripted “Ask Me Anything”–style questions abo...
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105 - Who Wants to Leave Forever? from 2018-12-09T16:00
Now with more Elves — for a limited time only! Book I, Chapter 3 of The Lord of the Rings concludes with a meeting between our hobbit heroes and the company of Gildor Inglorion in the Woody End. We...
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104 - I See a Little Silhouetto of a Man from 2018-12-02T16:00
We return to Book I, Chapter 3 of The Lord of the Rings to find Frodo, Sam, and Pippin still in high spirits as they stroll through the Shire. Before long, though, they realize that they’re being f...
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103 - Goodbye Everybody, I've Got to Go from 2018-11-18T16:00
We begin Book I, Chapter 3 of The Lord of the Rings, “Three is Company”. After months of preparation, Frodo sells Bag End. He leaves home with Sam and Pippin on a pretense of moving back to Bucklan...
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102 - Arthur of the Century: An Interview with Sørina Higgins from 2018-11-11T16:00
Draw the sword from the stone and light the grail-shaped beacon as we welcome Sørina Higgins — editor of the award-winning book The Inklings and King Arthur — to the Prancing Pony Podcast! We discu...
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101 - Now I Need a Place to Hide Away from 2018-11-04T15:00
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...
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100 - There's a Shadow Hanging Over Me from 2018-10-28T15:00
In the second of three episodes on Book I, Chapter 2, “The Shadow of the Past”, Gandalf gives Frodo a brief history of the Rings of Power and the tragic tale of how the One Ring came to Sméagol, be...
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099 - Yesterday, All My Troubles Seemed So Far Away from 2018-10-21T15:00
Years have passed since the farewell party, and as the first part of Book I, Chapter 2, “The Shadow of the Past” unfolds, Frodo has come into his own as the new resident oddball at Bag End. But rum...
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098 - Questions After Nightfall 4 from 2018-10-14T15:00
Once again, Alan and Shawn are joined live by several visitors to the Prancing Pony for some “Ask Me Anything”-style unscripted questions! Topics include the representation of women in Tolkien’s wo...
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097 - A Hard Day's Night from 2018-10-07T15:00
Book I, Chapter 1 of The Lord of the Rings concludes with the aftermath of the birthday party. Bilbo has left behind gifts for friends and family ranging from the sincere to the brilliantly snarky,...
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096 - I Don't Want to Spoil the Party, So I'll Go from 2018-09-30T15:00
As Book I, Chapter 1 of The Lord of the Rings continues, the Baggins binary birthday bash begins with food, fireworks, and no unwanted poetry. Bilbo actually has something far more noteworthy in mi...
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095 - They Say It's Your Birthday from 2018-09-23T15:00
In the first pages of Book I, Chapter 1 of The Lord of the Rings, “A Long-Expected Party”, we see Bilbo Baggins through the eyes of the hobbits of the Shire, not all of whom view him kindly. Seemin...
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094 - This Shire is Your Shire from 2018-09-16T15:00
Never ones to skip over the pages with Roman numerals, we begin reading The Lord of the Rings at the famous Foreword, where Tolkien offered his most well-known comments on his own work, including h...
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093 - We're In the Same Tale Still! from 2018-09-09T15:00
At long last, we finally… really this time… begin The Lord of the Rings! In this episode, we introduce the novel (not a trilogy) with the epic story of its composition and publication. Almost immed...
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092 - We're Not Saying It's Monsters, But It's Monsters from 2018-09-02T15:00
Before turning to The Lord of the Rings, Alan and Shawn gain some needed insight with a look at Tolkien’s influential essay “Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics.” Tolkien’s response to the prevai...
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091 - Laughing Shall We Die: An Interview with Tom Shippey from 2018-08-26T15:00
Season 3 is here, and we begin by welcoming Tom Shippey to The Prancing Pony Podcast! We discuss his classic works The Road to Middle-earth and J. R. R. Tolkien: Author of the Century, and the rema...
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090 - Between Light and Dark: An Interview with Verlyn Flieger from 2018-07-08T15:00
Alan and Shawn are honored to welcome Verlyn Flieger, author of There Would Always Be a Fairy Tale, to The Prancing Pony Podcast! We discuss her new book, her work co-editing the annual journal Tol...
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089 - Questions After Nightfall 3 from 2018-07-01T15:00
It’s time for the latest Prancing Pony Podcast Q&A episode! This time around, Alan and Shawn attempt to answer live questions from guest patrons on life lessons in Tolkien’s works, symbolism in the...
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088 - Live From Mythmoot Five from 2018-06-27T15:00
Alan and Shawn finally draw swords together in person for a live recording from Mythmoot V in Leesburg, Virginia! We interview this year’s special guests, including Signum University president Core...
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087 - No Shrubberies: The Hobbit Retrospective from 2018-06-17T15:00
Oh, what sad times are these when Tolkien podcasters can make it through an entire season without a single reference to shrubberies? For our final episode on The Hobbit, we return with a retrospect...
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086 - Not Quite Dead from 2018-06-10T15:00
Having survived trolls, goblins, wolves, spiders, riddles with Gollum and Smaug, the horror of battle, and the rude awakening of Elvish singing, Bilbo Baggins makes it back home again in the last c...
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085 - Bilbo "Two Chests" Baggins from 2018-06-03T15:00
Bilbo wakes up after the Battle of Five Armies in Chapter 18 of The Hobbit, dazed, confused, and very much invisible. Returning to camp, he has a bittersweet reunion with Thorin Oakenshield and rea...
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084 - The Violence Inherent in the System from 2018-05-27T15:00
As Chapter 17 of The Hobbit begins, the Lonely Mountain is under siege. Thorin — hanging on to outdated imperialist dogma which perpetuates the economic and social differences in Middle-earth — ref...
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083 - Oh Yes, Ees Very Nice-uh from 2018-05-20T15:00
In Chapter 16 of The Hobbit, little Bilbo takes matters (and the Arkenstone) into his own hands and makes a deal with Bard and the Elvenking, who presumably don’t already have one, in an attempt to...
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082 - What is the Airspeed Velocity of a Decrepit Old Raven? from 2018-05-13T15:00
In Chapter 15, birds again show that their value in The Hobbit far outweighs their inability to carry a coconut. Bilbo and the Dwarves learn of Smaug’s death from the wise old raven Roäc, but they ...
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081 - Always Look on the Bright Side of Life from 2018-05-06T15:00
We cut away to Lake-town for Chapter 14 of The Hobbit, as the people of Esgaroth slowly realize that the lights coming from the Lonely Mountain are not the triumphant King Thorin flooding the river...
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080 - And There Was Much Rejoicing from 2018-04-29T15:00
Trapped in the side-door tunnel at the beginning of Chapter 13 of The Hobbit, “Not at Home,” Bilbo leads the party in the only direction they can go: down. At the bottom they find no sign of Smaug,...
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079 - Smaug Gets Quite Irate from 2018-04-22T15:00
In the second half of Chapter 12 of The Hobbit, Bilbo returns to Smaug’s lair to find the dragon waiting for him. Luckily he has on his ring, but the dragon senses his presence, and soon he is lock...
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078 - Every Worm is Sacred from 2018-04-15T15:00
As we begin Chapter 12 of The Hobbit, Bilbo the burglar is finally ready to enter Smaug’s lair alone, if only to get away from yet another self-important speech by Thorin. Braving the sleeping drag...
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077 - Questions After Nightfall 2 from 2018-04-08T15:00
In our second Prancing Pony Podcast Q&A episode, Alan and Shawn answer live questions from guest patrons on diverse topics, from the fate of Dwarves after death to which character we’d cosplay as… ...
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076 - The Ministry of Silly Locks from 2018-04-01T15:00
In Chapter 11 of The Hobbit, Bilbo and the Dwarves finally reach the Lonely Mountain, but they don’t know where the hidden door is. Then they find the door, but they don’t know how to open it. Fort...
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075 - Tolkien Reading Day Special 2018 from 2018-03-25T15:00
Happy Tolkien Reading Day! On March 25 every year – the date of the fall of Barad-dûr – Tolkien lovers worldwide celebrate by reading the Professor’s works aloud. The theme for 2018 is Home and Hea...
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074 - A Mandate From the Masses from 2018-03-18T15:00
Please keep your arms and legs inside the barrels at all times, until the ride comes to a complete stop in Lake-town where our heroes arrive, barely, in Chapter 10 of The Hobbit. Most of the Lake-t...
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073 - Some Farcical Aquatic Ceremony from 2018-03-11T15:29
It’s the world’s worst whitewater rafting trip in the second half of Chapter 9 of The Hobbit! Bilbo reveals his plan for escaping the Elvenking’s halls. His friends are, quite understandably, less ...
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072 - King Name-Not-Appearing-In-This-Book from 2018-03-04T16:00
The rest of the Dwarves are taken by the Elves in the first half of Chapter 9 of The Hobbit. Bilbo avoids capture thanks to his ring, only to get stuck hiding for weeks in the Elvenking’s halls. Fo...
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071 - Fortress Around Your Hoard from 2018-02-25T16:00
In our final episode on Chapter 8 of The Hobbit, Bilbo dispatches the Mirkwood spiders and rescues his friends, though it must be said that one beard sadly perishes in the effort. Thorin, however, ...
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070 - If You Love Somebody, Cut Them Free from 2018-02-18T16:00
The second of three episodes on Chapter 8 of The Hobbit. As Mirkwood continues with no apparent end, our heroes get desperate and stray from the path when they see Elves feasting in a clearing near...
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069 - Be Still My Fleeting Hart from 2018-02-11T16:00
In the first episode of our trilogy on Chapter 8 of The Hobbit, Bilbo and the Dwarves enter Mirkwood and quickly learn the true meaning of the term "pitch-dark.” As the days drag on, their hunger a...
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068 - Exit, Pursued by a Bear from 2018-02-04T16:00
We resume Chapter 7 of The Hobbit. Bilbo and the Dwarves spend a few days as the guests of Beorn, comfortable despite the occasional late-night sounds of a hungry bear on the other side of the door...
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067 - Forget About Your Worries and Your Strife from 2018-01-28T16:00
Chapter 7 of The Hobbit begins with a rude awakening in an Eagle’s eyrie. But our heroes are soon off on their way again, and find themselves at the home of Beorn the skin-changer. Is he a man that...
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066 - A Slaying Song Tonight: An Interview with Michael Drout from 2018-01-21T16:00
Alan and Shawn are delighted to welcome Michael Drout to The Prancing Pony Podcast! As co-founder and co-editor of the journal Tolkien Studies and multiple books on the Professor, Drout is one of t...
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065 - Lobbest Thou Thy Holy Pine Grenade from 2018-01-14T16:00
We pick up Chapter 6 of The Hobbit with our heroes literally up a tree. Gandalf keeps the wolves at bay by playing with fire, but when the goblins arrive, things quickly heat up for Bilbo and his f...
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064 - And Now, the Larch from 2018-01-07T16:00
As Chapter 6 of The Hobbit opens, Bilbo emerges from the mountains and soon hears the familiar voices of Gandalf and the Dwarves. He sneaks up on them with the help of his new ring, and finally win...
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063 - How Not to Be Seen from 2017-12-17T16:00
We conclude our trilogy of episodes on Chapter 5 of The Hobbit. Gollum begins to realize that Bilbo has his ring, and Bilbo begins to realize what it does. He uses its power of invisibility to esca...
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062 - Ere the Other Side He See from 2017-12-10T16:00
Our second episode on Chapter 5 of The Hobbit. Tension mounts as the riddle contest between Bilbo and Gollum continues, with Bilbo’s life at stake. His luck saves him in the final round, but when G...
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061 - Answer Me These Questions Five... from 2017-12-03T16:00
The first of three episodes on Chapter 5 of The Hobbit. Bilbo wakes up in the darkness below the mountains, and soon finds himself in a life-or-death riddle-game with one of Tolkien's most infamous...
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060 - Questions After Nightfall 1 from 2017-11-19T16:00
It’s our first ever Prancing Pony Podcast Q&A episode! Alan and Shawn answer live questions from our very special guests, ranging from the fun to the philosophical. Topics include our favorite vill...
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059 - Run Away! from 2017-11-12T16:00
As we resume Chapter 4 of The Hobbit, Bilbo and friends are captured by goblins. Thorin Oakenshield’s name and reputation are known in these parts, and the Great Goblin does not take kindly to his ...
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058 - There Lies a Cave from 2017-11-05T15:00
In Chapter 4 of The Hobbit, our heroes begin the crossing of the mountains under threat of stormy weather and rock-hurling stone-giants. They seek shelter in a cave, but caves up in the mountains a...
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057 - 'Tis a Silly Place from 2017-10-29T15:00
In Chapter 3 of The Hobbit, Bilbo’s story takes its first steps into Tolkien’s greater mythology, but these aren’t your grandfather’s Eldar. We uncover the hidden secrets of the notorious “silly El...
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056 - He’s a Burglar and He’s OK from 2017-10-22T15:00
In Chapter 2 of The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins wakes up to the pleasant lack of Dwarves. He’s beginning to think that he’s escaped adventure after all when Gandalf pushes him out the door. Immediately, ...
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055 - Pining for the Hoards from 2017-10-15T15:00
We wrap up Chapter 1 of The Hobbit, “An Unexpected Party”, where Bilbo’s Tookish side is awakened by the mysterious dwarf-song filling his home, but his Baggins side is less enthusiastic once Thori...
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054 - Nobody Expects the Dwarvish Inquisition from 2017-10-08T15:00
We begin our reading of The Hobbit with the famous first line and meet Bilbo Baggins, living a predictable life of luxury and ease until Gandalf comes by one Tuesday morning. Soon Bilbo’s world is ...
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053 - A Hole New World from 2017-09-24T15:00
It’s the start of Season 2 here on The Prancing Pony Podcast as we start discussing the book that first introduced Middle-earth to the world: J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit! In this episode, we look a...
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052 - Exploring The Hobbit and More: An Interview with Corey Olsen from 2017-09-21T15:00
In honor of the 80th anniversary of the publication of The Hobbit, Alan and Shawn are excited to welcome Corey Olsen, the Tolkien Professor himself, to The Prancing Pony Podcast! We talk about Core...
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051 - Why Does It Hurt So Much?: The Hobbit Film Trilogy from 2017-09-10T15:00
It’s there and back again at the movies with the Prancing Pony Podcast! After talking about The Lord of the Rings films in our last episode, Alan and Shawn dive into Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit film...
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050 - You Have Kept Your Honor: The Lord of the Rings Film Trilogy from 2017-08-27T15:00
Put aside the books and join us at the movies! In this episode, Alan and Shawn discuss Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. We watch clips of our favorite (and not-so-favorite) chang...
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049 - The First Age Strikes Back: The Silmarillion Retrospective from 2017-08-13T15:00
A long time ago, in a galaxy not so far away, Alan and Shawn started discussing The Silmarillion. Now, witness the power of this fully armed and operational retrospective episode! First, we open Ba...
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048 - People Are People from 2017-07-30T15:00
In the second half of "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age,” Isildur refuses to destroy the One Ring when he has the chance, keeping it as his prize from the vanquished Sauron. But he is stripp...
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047 - Never Let Me Down Again from 2017-07-16T15:00
Alan and Shawn rewind to the end of the War of Wrath to begin "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age." Sauron refuses to beg the Valar’s pardon for his misdeeds, and remains in Middle-earth to fo...
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046 - Master and Servant from 2017-07-02T15:00
The second of two episodes on the Akallabêth, Tolkien's story of Númenor. Ar-Pharazôn is offered no resistance by Sauron, and gets the bright idea to take him as a hostage. Soon, you-know-who has w...
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045 - Just Can’t Get Enough from 2017-06-18T15:00
The first of two episodes on the Akallabêth, the story of Númenor. At the outset of the Second Age, the Valar reward the Edain with wisdom, long life and their own private island in the Great Sea. ...
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044 - The Threshold of Middle-earth: An Interview with John Garth from 2017-06-11T15:00
Alan and Shawn are honored to welcome John Garth, the award-winning author of Tolkien and the Great War and Tolkien at Exeter College, to The Prancing Pony Podcast! John’s work as a biographer and ...
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043 - The Final Frontier from 2017-06-04T15:00
Join Alan and Shawn as they don red shirts for the final chapter of the Quenta Silmarillion, the voyages of the star-ship Vingilot. Its continuing mission: to bring Eärendil and Elwing into the Wes...
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042 - Resistance is Futile from 2017-05-28T15:00
We return to Chapter 23 of The Silmarillion with our second episode on Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin. Tuor’s star rises in the realm of Turgon, and soon he finds himself wedded to Idril Celebrindal...
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041 - Make It So from 2017-05-21T15:00
In the first of two episodes on Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin, we go beyond The Silmarillion into Tolkien's Unfinished Tales to tell the story the way it was meant to be told. The son of Huor and R...
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040 - He's Dead, Gem from 2017-05-07T15:00
In Chapter 22 of The Silmarillion, Húrin is released from Angband to finish his son’s work of destroying everything he touches, and his visit to Thingol starts a chain reaction leading to war betwe...
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039 - Exit the Warrior from 2017-04-23T15:00
We conclude our trilogy of episodes on Chapter 21 of The Silmarillion, "Of Túrin Turambar." After Glaurung sacks Nargothrond, Morwen pulls a Thingol and ignores Melian's advice. She leaves Doriath,...
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038 - I Will Choose Free Will from 2017-04-09T15:00
We continue our trilogy of episodes on Chapter 21 of The Silmarillion and Tolkien’s tragic hero Túrin Turambar. Túrin comes to Nargothrond with Gwindor, then quickly surpasses his friend in the fav...
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037 - No Man's Land: An Interview with Simon Tolkien from 2017-04-02T15:00
Alan and Shawn are thrilled to welcome Simon Tolkien, novelist and grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien, to The Prancing Pony Podcast! Simon's new novel No Man's Land tells the story of a young man's journey...
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036 - Fly By Night, Away From Here from 2017-03-26T15:00
Alan and Shawn begin yet another trilogy of episodes — this time on The Silmarillion Chapter 21, “Of Túrin Turambar.” The son of Húrin of Dor-lómin is fostered by the King of Doriath, but an awkwar...
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035 - Tolkien Reading Day Special 2017 from 2017-03-25T15:00
Happy Tolkien Reading Day! On March 25 every year – the date of the fall of Barad-dûr – Tolkien lovers worldwide celebrate by reading the Professor’s works aloud. The theme for 2017 is Poetry and S...
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034 - Let It All Out from 2017-03-12T15:15:04
Shout for joy with Fingon as day breaks on the morning of the Fifth Battle, Nirnaeth Arnoediad, in Chapter 20 of The Silmarillion. Shout for outrage at the treachery and brutality of Morgoth’s forc...
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033 - The Princess Bride from 2017-02-26T16:00
The last of three episodes on The Silmarillion Chapter 19, “Of Beren and Lúthien.” After putting the Dark Lord down for a nap, the lovers succeed in prying a Silmaril from Morgoth’s iron crown. Ber...
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032 - Lady and the Tramp from 2017-02-12T16:00
The second of three episodes on The Silmarillion Chapter 19, "Of Beren and Lúthien." Man's best friend has a soft spot for Elf-maidens too, as Huan the hound of Valinor befriends Lúthien and assist...
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031 - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner from 2017-01-29T16:00
The first of three episodes on The Silmarillion Chapter 19, "Of Beren and Lúthien." The fugitive son of Barahir comes to Doriath and has a fateful meeting with the daughter of Thingol. Unimpressed ...
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030 - Another One Bites the Dust from 2017-01-15T16:00
In Chapter 18 of The Silmarillion, Morgoth breaks the Siege of Angband with a sneak attack, beginning the Battle of Sudden Flame. As the fires die down, Fingolfin responds by challenging the Dark L...
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029 - Tolkien's 125th Birthday Special from 2017-01-03T16:00
We celebrate the twelfty-fifth birthday of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien with tributes from our listeners and our own thoughts on what Tolkien has meant to us. We also give the traditional birthday toa...
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028 - Father of the Century: a PPP Christmas Special from 2016-12-23T16:00
Alan and Shawn call for a Christmas truce on the Beleriand battlefront to enjoy Tolkien’s letters from Father Christmas to his children John, Michael, Christopher, and Priscilla. Not content to wri...
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027 - Go West, Young Edain from 2016-12-18T16:00
Men arrive in Beleriand in Chapter 17 of The Silmarillion, and Middle-earth will never be the same. The Elves' reaction to the newcomers varies, but Morgoth's goal is clear: to keep the two races f...
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026 - You're The One That I Want from 2016-12-04T16:00
In Chapter 16 of The Silmarillion, Aredhel of Gondolin shacks up with the Dark Elf Eöl and bears a son whose coming may spell doom for the last hope of the Noldor. We revisit Elvish marriage custom...
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025 - Watch Your Language from 2016-11-20T16:00
In Chapter 15 of The Silmarillion, Turgon heeds Ulmo's warning and begins the construction of the hidden city of Gondolin. The truth finally comes out about why the Noldor returned to Beleriand, an...
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024 - Territories from 2016-11-06T15:00
It’s a small world, after all. Take a trip around the map with Alan and Shawn in Chapter 14 of The Silmarillion, Tolkien’s extensive description of the geography and realms of the Elves in Belerian...
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023 - Distant Early Warning from 2016-10-23T15:00
A great feast is held in the conclusion of Chapter 13 of The Silmarillion, but not all is well in Beleriand, and two Elf-princes receive important messages about taking action before it’s too late....
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022 - Subdivisions from 2016-10-09T15:00
In Chapter 13 of The Silmarillion, Fëanor's host arrives in Middle-earth shortly before Fingolfin's, leading to an awkward family reunion that just gets more awkward when somebody calls Uncle Thing...
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021 - New World, Man from 2016-09-25T15:00
In Chapter 12 of The Silmarillion, the Second Children of Ilúvatar - the Atani, or Men - awake, and we quickly learn precisely what the Elves think of them. We revisit the differences that Tolkien ...
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020 - Tolkien's Secret Vice: An Interview with Dimitra Fimi and Andrew Higgins from 2016-09-18T15:00
Alan and Shawn welcome Dr. Dimitra Fimi and Dr. Andrew Higgins as the first guests to The Prancing Pony Podcast! They are the editors of the new critical edition of Tolkien’s A Secret Vice. We turn...
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019 - How to Get the Celestial Body You Want from 2016-09-11T15:00
In Chapter 11 of The Silmarillion, the Valar put forth their power to help the Trees bear one last fruit and flower, and then place them in the sky as celestial lights to illuminate all of Arda: th...
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018 - Menegroth: Love It or List It from 2016-08-28T15:00
Returning to Middle-earth from Aman, we cover thousands of years in just a few pages in Chapter 10 of The Silmarillion, "Of the Sindar." The remnant of the Teleri in Beleriand ruled by Thingol and ...
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017 - ...Don't You Come Back from 2016-08-14T15:00
In the second half of Chapter 9 of The Silmarillion, “Of the Flight of the Noldor”, the exiles continue down the road to certain doom, spurred on by Fëanor’s oath. We witness the terrible Kinslayin...
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016 - Hit the Road, Jack... from 2016-07-31T15:00
In the first half of Chapter 9 of The Silmarillion, “Of the Flight of the Noldor”, Melkor and Ungoliant leave the dead Trees behind them and continue their crime spree in Formenos. Fëanor goes full...
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015 - Along Came a Spider from 2016-07-17T14:00
Doom falls on Valinor in Chapter 8 of The Silmarillion. Manwë hosts a feast to reconcile the estranged sons of Finwë, but Melkor chooses that moment to get his revenge with a little help from the m...
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014 - Trouble in Paradise from 2016-07-01T15:00
In Chapter 7 of The Silmarillion, Fëanor crafts the most renowned jewels in the history of Middle-earth - the Silmarils - and conflict is immediately kindled between the sons of Finwë while Melkor ...
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013 - The Blame Game from 2016-06-18T15:00
In Chapter 6 of The Silmarillion, Míriel chooses death over the labor of living, so Finwë remarries to the displeasure of his eldest son Fëanor (and half the Valar). Amid the strife in Finwë's hous...
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012 - All in the Family from 2016-06-05T15:00
In Chapters 4 and 5 of The Silmarillion, one Telerin lord settles down with a lady way out of his league while the rest of the Eldar migrate across the Great Sea to Aman. We see the founding of the...
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011 - Elves and All! Hooray! from 2016-05-22T15:00
In Chapter 3 of The Silmarillion, we take a trip to Cuiviénen for the awakening of the Firstborn Children of Ilúvatar - the Quendi or Elves. Along the way we discuss the kindling of the stars, the ...
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010 - It Is A Gift from 2016-05-07T15:00
In this special spoiler-filled episode, we delve into Tolkien's letters and The History of Middle-earth to examine Tolkien's concept of mortality as "the gift of the One to Men." We discuss the fat...
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009 - The Odd Couple from 2016-04-24T15:00
In Chapter 2 of The Silmarillion, Aulë and Yavanna demonstrate the principle of “opposites attract” even among the Valar, we witness the power of humility, and learn the origins of some of Middle-e...
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008 - And So It Begins from 2016-04-10T16:00
Finally reaching Chapter 1 of the Quenta Silmarillion, we behold an Arda too perfect to last, offer a brief geography lesson, and shamelessly poke fun at as many Valar as possible before stopping t...
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007 - The Powers of Arda from 2016-03-27T16:00
In the second part of The Silmarillion we laugh with Tulkas, cry with Nienna, gaze on the starlit face of Varda and meet the rest of the Valar and Maiar who entered into the world at its beginning....
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006 - Tolkien Reading Day Special 2016 from 2016-03-25T10:00
Happy Tolkien Reading Day! On March 25 every year - the date of the fall of Barad-dûr - Tolkien lovers worldwide celebrate by reading and promoting the Professor's life and work. For this special,...
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005 - The Music of the Ainur from 2016-03-13T17:00
Reunited in the common-room and finally beginning their discussion of The Silmarillion, Alan and Shawn tackle nothing less than the creation of the universe, check out Ilúvatar’s playlist, observe ...
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004 - The Great War from 2016-03-10T00:24
This time, Alan flies solo over the battlefields of World War I and discusses both the explicit and the implied influences that the Great War had on Tolkien’s writings, while Shawn is safely away i...
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003 - The Origins of Quenya and Sindarin from 2016-03-06T17:00
Shawn takes a solo look at the real-world linguistic inspirations that shaped Tolkien's invented Elvish languages, Quenya and Sindarin, while Alan is away doing whatever a Man of the West does on h...
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002 - The Myth-lover from 2016-02-28T17:00
We continue our introduction to J. R. R. Tolkien's ideas on fantasy and myth with a look at his short poem dedicated to C. S. Lewis, "Mythopoeia" - a thematic companion piece to "On Fairy-Stories"....
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001 - In Defense of Fantasy from 2016-02-22T00:00
In the first episode, get to know your hosts, Alan and Shawn, and learn about why we started The Prancing Pony Podcast. We also discuss favorite moments from the life of J.R.R. Tolkien as told in ...
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