logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2023
53m 20s

J.R.R. Tolkien

NEWSTALK
About this episode

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 New York who organised the recent Tolkien exhibition at the Morgan

  • Dr Barry Houlihan, archivist at the University of Galway

  • Shaun Gunner, chair of the Tolkien Society

  • And Dr Corey Olsen, 'The Tolkien Professor', President of Signum University and Mythgard Institute.

Up next
May 24
Wellington and Ireland
In this episode, we explore the life and times of the Irishman who defeated Napoleon and went on to become the prime minister of Britain and find out his complicated relationship with this country. Featuring: Dr Síle McGuckian, historian and lawyer; Gareth Glover, military histor ... Show More
52m 13s
May 17
Gulliver's Travels at 300
We mark the 300th anniversary of the publication of one of the most influential books ever written, Gulliver's Travels, & we find out how Jonathan Swift created one of the landmarks of world literature.Featuring Dr Jason McElligott, Director of Marsh’s Library; Prof Daniel Cook, ... Show More
52m 34s
May 15
Best of May Books
‘Seven Sisters: Captives and Rebels in Revolutionary Europe's First Family’ with Veronica Buckley, historical biographer; ‘Gothic: Building Castles in post-Union Ireland’, with Dr Judith Hill, architectural historian; and ‘Survivors: The Lost Stories of the Last Captives of the A ... Show More
51m 48s
Recommended Episodes
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
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 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
Aug 2022
225. J.R.R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien is one of the most prestigious authors in modern history, best known for writingThe Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In the first of two episodes, Tom and Dominic explore Tolkien's childhood, his relationship with religion, and the impact that the rapi ... Show More
58m 9s
Oct 2023
Tolkien Takes Us Places
<p>This fall marks 50 years since JRR Tolkien’s death. In honor of the writer’s life and legacy, we want to take you back to the places where it all began.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for informat ... Show More
12m 19s
Jan 2022
La magie des œuvres de Tolkien - Entretien avec Vincent Ferré
Mes chers camarades, bien le bonjour et bienvenue dans ce nouvel entretien historique avec Vincent Ferré, professeur de littératures comparées à l'université Paris Est Créteil, spécialiste de Proust mais aussi de Tolkien, dont il est traducteur et éditeur depuis plus de vingt ans ... Show More
1h 47m
Mar 2015
Beowulf
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the epic poem Beowulf, one of the masterpieces of Anglo-Saxon literature. Composed in the early Middle Ages by an anonymous poet, the work tells the story of a Scandinavian hero whose feats include battles with the fearsome monster Grendel and ... Show More
46m 29s
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
Jul 2024
Tolkien und "Der Herr der Ringe" – Fantasy-Erfolg eines Sprachgenies
Er ist der Schöpfer von Mittelerde und seine Bücher zählen zu den meistgelesenen der Welt, J. R. R. Tolkien (1892 - 1973) aber sah sich nie als Schriftsteller. Was macht sein Werk so erfolgreich? Von Marc Bädorf (SWR 2023) | Manuskript und mehr zur Sendung: http://swr.li/tolkien- ... Show More
27m 55s