This week Michael and I talked with Professor Nick Groom, author of Tolkien in the 21st Century: The Meaning of Middle-earth Today, releasing Sept. 5, 2023 (apologies for some some of the echo in the audio!).

Professor Groom’s book is a detailed, in-depth, but very readable look into MIddle-earth, and how he perceives Tolkien as more relevant than ever before–particularly in a post-COVID culture.

This was a refreshing discussion that dove deep into things including:

• Professor Groom’s thoughts on the ambiguity of evil in Middle-earth
• How Tolkien’s themes are vital in a post-lockdown era
• Why he believes The Rings of Power is a great story in the tradition of Middle-earth adaptations–but definitely isn’t Tolkien’s story.

Then, join us in our extended episode (https://theonering.com/members) where we:

• Does The Rings of Power deserve the amount of criticism we give it?
• Who is his favorite character in all of Middle-earth?
• What should be done to encourage young artists to write great new stories again?