logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2021
27m 56s

JRR Tolkien, creator of The Hobbit

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein in 1892. Orphaned before he was a teenager, he fought at the Somme in the First World War before going on to become one of the best-selling authors of all time. Bilbo, Gandalf, Gollum, Frodo, Sauron - these are just a few of the famous characters he created for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Nomi ... Show More
Up next
Nov 3
Oliver Postgate
"Postgate's work is deep inside me and I think that's true for so many of my generation...His work represents nothing less than a touchstone for our national imagination and in that sense it's profoundly important"Andrew Davenport, writer, composer, and creator of Teletubbies and ... Show More
27m 39s
Oct 27
Sylvia Plath
Lucy Jones, author of Matrescence, chooses the writer Sylvia Plath. Sylvia Plath was a precocious, prize-winning child,. Her mother had high expectations for her. Her father had died when she was 8 (but could have been saved if only he'd gone to see a doctor). When she was well, ... Show More
27m 6s
Oct 20
Elizabeth Day on Hatshepsut
"One of the things that she claimed was that her mother had been impregnated by the sun god Amon-Ra." Elizabeth Day's interest in the female pharaoh Hatshepsut was sparked by a trip to Egypt less than a year ago. What intrigued her was how this woman survived and thrived as ruler ... Show More
27m 40s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2023
J.R.R Tolkien
J.R.R Tolkien is one of Britain’s most beloved authors, famous for creating the fantasy world ‘Middle Earth’ through his novels ‘The Hobbit’ and the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy. What started out as a bedtime story for his young children, now captivates millions of fans across the ... Show More
51m 11s
Dec 2023
The Hobbit Virtues
<p>Virtue ethics is an approach to life, a framework for developing character and making moral decisions. To learn about virtue ethics, you could read a philosophical treatise by Aristotle. Or, you could read a fictional novel by J.R.R Tolkien. As my guest, Christopher Snyder, ob ... Show More
49m 37s
Sep 2012
The Hobbit
How Oxford academic JRR Tolkien came up with The Hobbit, a story that charmed children for generations.Hear excerpts from the BBC's archive of interviews, including JRR Tolkien himself.(Image: JRR Tolkien in 1967. Credit: Associated Press) 
9m 2s
Aug 2022
The Hobbit: Book Zero in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy
<p>The journey through Middle-earth begins here with J.R.R. Tolkien's classic prelude to his&nbsp;Lord of the Rings&nbsp;trilogy.</p> <p>“A &nbsp;glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and &nbsp;seasoned with a quiet humor that is irresistible... All th ... Show More
10h 58m
Sep 2023
J.R.R. Tolkien
In this episode of Talking History, Patrick Geoghegan reflects on the life, times and legacy of The Lord of The Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien to mark the 50th anniversary of his death this weekend.He's joined by:John McQuillen. Associate Curator at The Morgan Library & Museum in Ne ... Show More
53m 20s
May 2019
The Hobbit (Unabridged) Andy Serkis Part 1 of 2
<p><strong>Publisher's summary</strong></p><p><strong>This brand-new unabridged audio book of J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved&nbsp;<em>The Hobbit&nbsp;</em>will be coming to listeners everywhere this September, read by the BAFTA award-winning actor, director and author, Andy Serkis.</st ... Show More
5h 42m
Apr 2019
The Silmarillion (Unabridged) Part 1 of 2 Martin Shaw
<p>The complete unabridged audiobook of J.R.R Tolkien's The Silmarillion. The Silmarillion is an account of the Elder Days, of the First Age of Tolkien’s world. It is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back, and in whose events some of them su ... Show More
7h 22m
Apr 2019
The Silmarillion (Unabridged) Part 2 of 2 Martin Shaw
<p>The complete unabridged audiobook of J.R.R Tolkien's The Silmarillion. The Silmarillion is an account of the Elder Days, of the First Age of Tolkien’s world. It is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back, and in whose events some of them su ... Show More
7h 27m
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami