Written in stages between 1937 and 1949, The Lord of the Rings is one of the best-selling books ever written, with over 150 million copies sold.
Join Tom and Dominic in the second of two episodes on the life and work of J.R.R. Tolkien, where they discuss the themes of encroaching industrialisation, the air defences of Mordor, and whether the Scouring of the ... Show More
Oct 29
718. The Suez Crisis: Britain's Shattered Empire (Part 2)
What role did France, Russia, America and Israel play in the Suez Crisis of 1956? Did the Egyptian leader, President Gamal Abdel Nasser, respond to the foreign invasion with military force? And, how did the debacle unfold? Join Dominic and Tom as they embark upon the final, drama ... Show More
1h 16m
Oct 26
717. The Suez Crisis: Anarchy in the Middle East (Part 1)
Why did the Suez Crisis break out in 1956? Who were Anthony Eden, the British Prime Minister at the heart of the scandal, and Gamal Abdel Nasser, the Egyptian President? And, would the crisis be the death knell to the British Empire? Join Dominic and Tom as they begin their journ ... Show More
1h 26m
Dec 2021
JRR Tolkien, creator of The Hobbit
<p>John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein in 1892. </p><p>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. </p><p>Bilbo, Gandalf, Gollum, Frodo, Sauron - these are j ... Show More
27m 56s
Sep 2023
Religion and Politics in the Lord of the Rings
J.R.R. Tolkien's masterwork The Lord of the Rings delighted so many of us as children, yet it and its vast body of accompanying work, such as the Silmarillion, contain a rich depth not well understood by most adults. Tolkien's work reflects his academic interests in the history o ... Show More
1h 2m
<p>J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece, <em>The Lord of the Rings</em>, is one of the best-selling books ever, selling over 150 million copies. In a 1999 poll of Amazon.com customers, <em>The Lord of the Rings</em> was judged to be their favorite "book of the millennium".</p> <p>However ... Show More