
The World of J.R.R. Tolkien
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Narrated by:
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Dimitra Fimi
About this listen
Though there has been some contention over the title, J.R.R. Tolkien is regarded by many as the father of modern fantasy fiction. His works, including the beloved Hobbit and epic Lord of the Rings, have found a vast and varied audience since they were first published in the middle of the 20th century. Why have these stories come to define our conceptions of fantasy storytelling? What is it about Tolkien’s meticulously constructed world of Middle-earth that continues to enthrall readers across the generations?
As you will see, age-old traditions, contemporary history and culture, and “big” human questions are key ingredients of Tolkien’s success. In The World of J.R.R. Tolkien, you will join Dr. Dimitra Fimi to delve into Tolkien’s complex and multilayered mythology, examining all these ingredients and more. In these 10 lectures, you will explore and appreciate Middle-earth as medieval, mythological, and modern, a literary creation that was shaped by forces old and new. And you may be surprised to discover just how much of Tolkien’s legendarium was constructed posthumously, with his son Christopher compiling and publishing many of Tolkien’s later works after his death.
Throughout these lectures, you will learn about Tolkien’s life as a devoted scholar of languages and literature and the immense body of legends he built, while also tracing his outsized influence on the fantasy genre and the writers and other artists that would follow. From the most disparate materials, from his academic interests to his war experiences to the stories he told his children, this gifted creator fashioned a new mythology that would carry its relevance from the 20th century into our own.
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Science fiction allows us to go places we can only dream of seeing - other worlds, distant stars, entirely different galaxies. While not every story is concerned with the hard science behind space travel and other futuristic ventures, fiction can give us amazing insight into what we could be capable of and what we dream of doing. In these 10 lectures, Professor Erin Macdonald interweaves real science and the achievements of the imagination to reveal the truth that underlies our favorite stories and sheds light on what the future may hold.
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surfing the surface
- By scarlet on 01-13-20
By: Erin Macdonald, and others
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C. S. Lewis: Writer, Scholar, Seeker
- By: Sørina Higgins, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Sørina Higgins
- Length: 2 hrs and 36 mins
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In C. S. Lewis: Writer, Scholar, Seeker, Dr. Sørina Higgins will take you on a fascinating expedition through the life and work of this influential author, examining the crucial events and relationships that shaped his personal, literary, and spiritual journeys.
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Masterful Presentation About Lewis!
- By William O'Flaherty on 11-17-23
By: Sørina Higgins, and others
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The Culture of Knighthood in Medieval Romance
- By: Larissa (Kat) Tracy, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Larissa Tracy
- Length: 2 hrs and 19 mins
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In The Culture of Knighthood and Medieval Romance, join scholar of medieval literature Larissa Tracy for a fascinating dive into the deeper context of narratives about knights and their world. Her Audible Original takes you through the evolution of knighthood and courtly literature, dispelling prevalent myths about chivalry and romance with an eye to revealing just how textured and complex these ideas actually were.
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A course on Sir Lancelot lacks a lot.
- By Patrick Mullane on 12-20-23
By: Larissa (Kat) Tracy, and others
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10 Women Who Ruled the Renaissance
- By: Joyce Salisbury, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Joyce Salisbury
- Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins
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The 16th century was a time of immense change across the globe. For many historians, it marks a massive shift in the way the world operated; it is often considered the beginning of modernity. We may regard the 16th century as the time of Shakespeare and the conquistadors, but women also played a powerful role in many of the major events around the world. In 10 Women Who Ruled the Renaissance, you will explore the lives of 10 extraordinary women who exemplified the spirit of the 1500s - an era dominated by adventure, discovery, and cross-cultural exchange.
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Fills Gaps in History
- By Amanda on 01-22-21
By: Joyce Salisbury, and others
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How Horror Works in Books and Film
- By: Shannon Scott, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Shannon Scott
- Length: 3 hrs and 40 mins
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Why are we scared of ghosts, zombies, vampires, demons, and monsters, when we know they are not real? Why do dark attics give us the creeps? How do writers and directors know exactly what anxieties to tap into, so that we break out in goosebumps, cover our eyes, and cringe? Shannon Scott invites you into the spooky, creepy, and sometimes surprising world of the horror genre to examine how popular scary movies and books manipulate our collective and individual fears—not only to frighten us, but also to address taboo subjects, and to reflect and comment on the state of our society.
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A social study about horror literature and media.
- By The Cimmerian on 11-07-22
By: Shannon Scott, and others
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Decoding Cats: Inside the Feline Mind
- By: Kristyn Vitale, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Kristyn Vitale
- Length: 4 hrs and 27 mins
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Whether you’re a cat mom or dad or just want to know more about the way domesticated animals evolved, think, and behave, join Dr. Kristyn Vitale, a researcher in the Human-Animal Interaction Lab at Oregon State University, to get inside the mind of the curious, the cute, and sometimes seemingly crazy cat.
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Many studies and some practical information
- By indykatley on 12-26-20
By: Kristyn Vitale, and others
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Edgar Allan Poe: Master of Horror
- By: Mark Canada, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Mark Canada
- Length: 5 hrs and 19 mins
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Through these 10 lectures, you will delve into the darkness of Poe’s most nightmarish stories, including “The Tell-Tale Heart”, “The Pit and the Pendulum”, and “The Fall of the House of Usher”. You’ll also learn how he invented the detective story and explored themes of love and loss in such poems as “Ulalume” and “Annabel Lee”. And you’ll discover how Poe employed symbolism, imagery, rhythm and rhyme, irony and paradox, repetition, simile, and foreshadowing to create a unique body of work.
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Interesting but not what I was expecting
- By Red-Haired Ash on 03-24-21
By: Mark Canada, and others
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Wolves and Werewolves in History and Popular Culture
- By: Shannon Scott, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Shannon Scott
- Length: 4 hrs and 34 mins
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In the 10 lectures of Wolves and Werewolves in History and Popular Culture, author and teacher Shannon Scott will take you around the world to explore the many ways humans have created and shared stories of wolves, shape-shifting, and lycanthropy.
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Pretty great.
- By Rob on 10-15-21
By: Shannon Scott, and others
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Decoding Dogs: Inside the Canine Mind
- By: Ellen Furlong, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Ellen Furlong
- Length: 5 hrs and 43 mins
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They might be our best friends, but we often have no idea what they are thinking. Peer inside the fascinating world of the mind of the dog with associate professor of psychology Ellen Furlong of Illinois Wesleyan University. Ever wonder how the same nose that always manages to find the worst-smelling place in the park to roll around can also be trained to sniff out cancer, bombs, and even endangered plants and animals? As you embark on a penetrating look at the canine brain, you’ll break down the unique ways dogs think and feel.
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Dogs!
- By Anonymous User on 08-19-20
By: Ellen Furlong, and others
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Medieval Myths & Mysteries
- By: Dorsey Armstrong, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Dorsey Armstrong
- Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins
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The 10 enlightening (and often humorous) lectures of Medieval Myths and Mysteries will show you how far from the “dark” times of legend these centuries were. Uncover the facts about the Knights Templar. Reveal the truth behind the tales of legendary creatures like the Questing Beast and the unicorn. Trace the events of the Black Death and the ways it altered the world in its wake, and much more. With Professor Armstrong, you will dig deep into the ways that later generations reshaped the narrative of the medieval years and perpetuated the myths.
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Interesting, but centered on Britain
- By Ximena on 04-10-20
By: Dorsey Armstrong, and others
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The Hidden History of Holidays
- By: Hannah Harvey, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Hannah Harvey
- Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
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From Halloween costumes to patriotic parades to belly-busting meals, every holiday tradition tells a unique story—one encoded in symbols and layered meanings that stretch back over the centuries. In 19 lectures, professional storyteller Dr. Hannah B. Harvey takes listeners through the seasons and investigates the surprising stories behind seemingly odd holiday traditions.
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An enjoyable listen, but a few inaccuracies
- By Kristopher willis on 12-17-19
By: Hannah Harvey, and others
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Conspiracies & Conspiracy Theories
- What We Should and Shouldn't Believe - and Why
- By: Michael Shermer, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Michael Shermer
- Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins
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The stuff of conspiracy theories makes for great, entertaining stories in movies, books, and television. And there is no shortage of subjects: from who really killed JFK to the truth behind 9/11. And then, there are subjects from alien invasions to the Moon landing was simulated - theories that are truly out of this world, which according to some, is flat. Many of these crazy concepts have jumped off the pages or screens to become so pervasive in our culture that thousands - even millions - subscribe to them as reality.
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No chapter titles!!???
- By Nomad of the World on 09-21-19
By: Michael Shermer, and others
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Powerful Women Who Ruled the Ancient World
- By: Kara Cooney, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Kara Cooney
- Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins
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What is power and who is allowed to wield it? Why is female power so rare and, often, so feared? What can the women who gained power in the ancient world teach us about the contemporary world and our modern ideas of gender, authority, and equality? Listeners will explore these and other questions as you travel back to the ancient world and uncover the stories of remarkable women who overcame a host of barriers to wield power in a male-dominated world.
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Informative
- By Red-Haired Ash on 05-02-20
By: Kara Cooney, and others
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The History of Toys, 1900 to the Present
- By: Chris Byrne, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Chris Byrne
- Length: 2 hrs and 55 mins
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Toys and games have long been a part of childhood, but the 20th century saw the rise of an entire industry devoted to the business of play, one that would constantly evolve over the years. In the six lectures of The History of Toys, 1900 to the Present, consultant and toy industry expert Chris Byrne—also known as The Toy Guy®—will take you on a journey through the world of toys from the Edwardian era to our current moment. Beginning with the birth of the mass-market toy industry, you’ll trace the many transformations of toys and our shifting theories of play and childhood development.
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Well played
- By Filson Family on 01-03-25
By: Chris Byrne, and others
Tolkien Class
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Stunningly good overview of Tolkien’s influences and objectives
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The professor addresses the finer points of Race and Equality that are usually thrown out with the bath water, or unconsciously accepted without further notice. I loved the care and consideration Dimitra Fimi took in looking at the whole of Tolkien's worldview at the time of writing, and later as he continued his world-building and personal growth.
The heavy religious undertones are a main course in most conversations I have personally had with other Tolkien fans, and the fact that Fimi is so much more interstaed with how religion molds the work, as opposed to the actual religion itself is refreshing.
I will be checking out her website for resources and on the lookout for other work by Fimi.
Finally, A Female Voice on Tolkien
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Beyond the ordinary Tolkien study
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Wonderful!
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Excellent
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Great Lectures
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Deep insight into Tolkien’s works
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Fascinating introduction to the world of Tolkien
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Fantastic overview!
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