So, You Want to Read Tolkien - podcast cover

So, You Want to Read Tolkien

So, You Want to Read Tolkienredcircle.com

A fun, feminist, read through of JRR Tolkien’s work.

Last refreshed:
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Download Metacast podcast app
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Episode 101: Peeled Grapes

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss the portion of Appendix A, Part 1 and Part 3. We’re skipping part 2. I think it’s very clear that we were not really into this. A lot of ridiculous names and quick flashes of cool stuff Tolkien is rolling over in his grave Support the Show at […]

Jun 07, 202148 minSeason 1Ep. 101

Episode 100: One Last Magical Girl Moment

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss the portion of Appendix A focusing on the Tale of Aragorn and Arwen. The tale starts with death…and ends with death a healthy amount of doom She calls him Estel their whole liiiiiiiiiives. You can’t tell me they didn’t bone on that hill. Support the Show at https://www.patreon.com/Soyouwanttoreadtolkien […]

May 11, 202148 minEp. 100

Episode 99: It’s Just Sad

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss Return of the King, Book VI, Chapter 9, The Grey Havens Rebuilding the Shire Galadriel’s genetics Only Frodo has PTSD WHERE IS THE FRODO AND ROSIE FRIENDSHIP?!?! The Ringbearers leave. Support the Show at https://www.patreon.com/Soyouwanttoreadtolkien for exclusive content! Contact Us: Find us on Twitter! Email us!

Apr 21, 202151 minEp. 99

Episode 98: Hobbit on Hobbit

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss Return of the King, Book VI, Chapter 8, The Scouring of the Shire So Many Hobbits In This Chapters. Is Frodo a wizard now? Sam, Merry and Pippin the bloodthirsty NINETEEN DEAD HOBBITS No wait, Frodo is a God now. Support the Show at https://www.patreon.com/Soyouwanttoreadtolkien for exclusive content! […]

Mar 29, 20211 hr 24 minEp. 98

Episode 97: GodBlessed Beer

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss Return of the King, Book VI, Chapter 7, Homeward Bound Much less people in this chapter What does Rachel want you to do with your fingerprints? How long did we laugh at Rachel for? Bill the Pony, King of the Wolves. Support the Show at https://www.patreon.com/Soyouwanttoreadtolkien for […]

Feb 25, 202131 minEp. 97

Episode 96: Rando Vibes

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss Return of the King, Book VI, Chapter 6, Many Partings Literally everyone is in this chapter. Again. There’s a funeral but it isn’t the saddest thing in this chapter We folks see each other again, or is it all a big death metaphor? Fucking Gandalf. Support the […]

Feb 18, 202148 minEp. 96

Episode 95: Still the Bees

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss Return of the King, Book VI, Chapter 5, The Steward and the King Faramir and Eowyn meet! Faramir completes his hobbit pokedex A crown is taken from a dead man. A tree is found in the woods mountains But like…how do we KNOW Aragorn is really the king? […]

Jan 19, 202142 minEp. 95

Episode 94: Praise Them With Great Praise

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss Return of the King, Book VI, Chapter 4, The Field of Cormallen Sam has a real good sense of smell They have to get back in to their dirty clothes Emmy’s favourite line in the entire book And, as always, Aragorn needs that drama Support the Show […]

Dec 06, 202047 minEp. 94

Episode 93: We Do the Thing

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss Return of the King, Book VI, Chapter 3, Mount Doom Wait, we’re still walking across Mordor? There’s just SO much Doom in this chapter, Rachel is very happy It’s already obvious that Caitlin isn’t happy with the movie adaptation The eagles are coming (next time) Support the […]

Nov 12, 202041 minEp. 30

Epiosde 92: A Date With a Nazgul

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss Return of the King, Book VI, Chapter 2, The Land of Shadow It’s time to walk across Mordor!. More comedic orc duos! This Nazgul wants YOUR name and number. A gobler? Support the Show at https://www.patreon.com/Soyouwanttoreadtolkien for exclusive content! Contact Us: Find us on Twitter! Email us!

Sep 29, 202043 minEp. 92

Episode 91: Keep Calm and Think of Frodo

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss Return of the King, Book VI, Chapter 1, The Tower of Cirith Ungol In this chapter we are back with Caitlin’s favourite Hobbit! But that still isn’t enough to save this chapter from being mostly boring. There’s architecture. And orcs! There’s more architecture and more orcs! There’s a […]

Aug 27, 202034 minEp. 91

Episode 90: Acute Depression of the Arm

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss Return of the King, Book V, Chapter 10, The Black Gate Opens In this chapter the army spends a lot of time getting to a battle…and then not much time on the battle. Merry is left behind! We were wrong last week about miles. Which is just typical […]

Aug 07, 202053 minEp. 90

Episode 89: Does Gandalf Yolo?

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss Return of the King, Book V, Chapter 9, The Last Debate It’s a chapter of standing around a talking in two different parts! The Fellowship is reunited!…mostly. Caitlin still doesn’t understand miles? How far is it from Minas Tirith to the Black Gate? I have a feeling Twitter […]

Jul 20, 202042 minEp. 89

Episode 88: Only Little Murder

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss Return of the King, Book V, Chapter 8, The Houses of Healing Some people are healthy, and some are not. We will point out each one just in case you are confused. We meet Tolkein’s self-insert, self-burn. Also another woman! That we had forgotten about. Whoa. Caitlin has […]

Jun 24, 202042 minSeason 1Ep. 88

Episode 87: Ultimate Evil Trilo

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss Return of the King, Book V, Chapter 7, The Pyre of Denethor. Our favourite boy does just a *little* murder, and maybe a bit of treason. Feanor, thousands of years later, still causing problems for everyone. Murder-Suicide always seems like the best plan, right? We still don’t understand […]

Jun 09, 202039 minEp. 87

Episode 86: Weed Wizard

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss Return of the King, Book V, Chapter 6, The Battle of the Pelennor Fields. Dernhelm is a girl? What? Who killed the Witchking? Why was there a prophesy about that? And, most importantly, Gimli has his axe. Support the Show at https://www.patreon.com/Soyouwanttoreadtolkien for exclusive content! Contact Us: […]

May 20, 20201 hrEp. 86

Episode 85: Second Best Horse

This week we discuss Return of the King, Book V, Chapter 5, the Ride of the Rohirrim. A little less Ride and a little more Eavesdropping. Come and discuss with us as Merry is very observant, but misses some vital facts. Theoden gives some speeches and steals a horn. Eomer is racist, and Snowmane is […]

May 01, 202039 minEp. 85

Episode 84: Bettamir

Caitlin, Rachel and Emmy are excited to be back with The Return of the King, Book 5, Chapter 4, The Siege of Gondor! Characters Pippin – Guard of the Citadel, Faramir’s protector? Gandalf – bearer of bad news, Denethor’s worst enemy apparently Denethor – huge know-it-all, Steward of Gondor Faramir – Captain of the White […]

Apr 08, 202051 minEp. 84

Episode 83: Done-Here

Caitlin, Rachel and Emmy are excited to be back with The Return of the King, Book 5, Chapter 3, The Muster of Rohan! Featuring a couple of folks who super don’t want to be left behind. Characters Merry – a lone Hobbit Theoden – King of Rohan Eomer – Theoden’s nephew Eowyn – Theoden’s neice […]

Mar 24, 202052 minEp. 83

Episode 82: Did You Just Say Nipples?

Caitlin, Rachel and Emmy are excited to be back with The Return of the King, Book 5, Chapter 2, The Passing of the Grey Company! We’re back with Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, and Merry! Also appearances from some new friends and fun cameos from some old friends. Characters Aragorn – heir to the throne, which matters […]

Feb 28, 202048 minEp. 82

Episode 81: The Single Ladies of Minas Tirith

Caitlin, Rachel and Emmy are excited to be back with The Return of the King, Book 5, Chapter 1, Minas Tirith! We meet back up with Gandalf and Pippin, and proceed into the Kingdom of Gondor, and learn just how little Pippin has been paying attention to…well…everything. Characters Gandalf – Wizard, herald of bad tidings […]

Feb 15, 202048 minEp. 81

Drunk Tolkien 4: Mathematics and Gollum

We finally found time to get drunk together! Please join Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy as we eat some brunch, drink some drinks, and listen to Gollum impressions, and answer twitter’s most ridiculous middle earth related questions, like “Why does Pippin always look up when he gets an apple?” Math and alcohol and albatrosses. Obviously Hobbit […]

Feb 01, 20201 hr 49 min

Movie Episode! The Two Towers

On this, our first episode of 2020, please join Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy in their discussion of the Two Towers movie directed by Peter Jackson. Faramir is super different, how do we feel? We want the version of this movie with Arwen at Helm’s Deep! Hama for president 2020! King Theoden, the best. Also, we’ve […]

Jan 23, 20201 hr 2 min

Episode 80: Can’t Go Wrong With Tentacles

On this, our last episode of 2019, please join Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy in their discussion of the 1978 animated movie, The Lord of the Rings. In which we ask the following very important questions: Why doesn’t Aragorn wear pants? Why does everyone want to punch Bilbo? Who is Aruman? Why is everyone the same […]

Dec 30, 201939 min

Episode 79: Sam is Real Good

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss The Two Towers: Book Four, Chapter Nine, The Choices of Master Samwise Characters: Sam – an extremely fearsome enemy (probably a large elf) Frodo – he dead Shelob – still nightmare fuel Shagrat – orc middle management from the Tower of Cirith Ungol Gorbag – orc middle management […]

Dec 08, 201932 min

Episode 78: When You Wish Upon Your Daddy

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss The Two Towers: Book Four, Chapter Eight, Shelob’s Lair Characters: Frodo and Sam – Spelunkers Gollum – it’s allllla Gollum now Shelob – pure and utter nightmare fuel Characters from legend: Earendil – has the silmaril now…and is a star, also the aforementioned Daddy Melkor – original evil. […]

Nov 20, 201928 min

Episode 77: Tourist Observation Deck

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss The Two Towers: Book Four, Chapter Seven, The Stairs of Cirith Ungol Characters: Frodo – Our hero Sam – Our hero wouldn’t have got far without him Smeagollum – the hero of his own story The Witch-King of Angmar, the Lord of the Nazgul, the Black Captain – […]

Nov 08, 201941 min

Episode 76: Make a U Turn, Precious

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss The Two Towers: Book Four, Chapter Six, Journey to the Crossroads Characters: Faramir – gone from our pages, but not from our hearts. Frodo and Sam and Gollum – Our walking party. Following the map of their journey, they walk down from Henneth Annun and end at […]

Oct 27, 201923 min

Episode 75: The Fish Tolkien Podcast

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss The Two Towers: Book Four, Chapter Five, The Window on the West. Characters: Frodo – a tricksy hobbit Faramir – a tricksy human Smeagollum – a tricksy guide Sam – a hobbit who just wants to do a murder, but isn’t tricksy enough Anborn – probably dies after […]

Oct 09, 201929 min

Episode 74: Tolkien Gets to Flex

This week Caitlin, Rachel, and Emmy discuss The Two Towers: Book Four, Chapter Five, The Window on the West. Characters: Frodo – a hobbit with a secret Faramir – a man who wants to know the secret Sam – just blurts out the secret Mablung and Damrod – Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are there In […]

Oct 02, 201939 min
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android