Episode 47 - Why Tolkien Matters

Why does the work of the English author, J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) resonate so well with the modern imagination? Why are there often so many "battles" over his legacy and how his ideas are interpreted or depicted today? What is the significance of Tolkien's Christianity to what he wrote? How important might his work be today for how we think about contemporary issues like race, nationalism, multiculturalism and more. Aaron and Andy discuss all this and more, connecting the dots between different aspects of Tolkien's life and work, and showing why he remains as relevant as ever. === HELP SUPPORT POD OF THE GAPS === We're planning to make Pod of the Gaps a weekly show from 2023 but we need your help to make this happen. If you already support the show, thank you! If you don't, please consider a small monthly donation to help us with our production costs: http://patreon.com/wkop === BOOKS/RESOURCES RELATED TO THIS EPISODE === * Bannister, Andy, "Have You Ever Wondered Why the Best Stories Are About Good and Evil?" (Solas Website) https://www.solas-cpc.org/have-you-ever-wondered-why-the-best-stories-are-about-good-and-evil/ * Carpenter, Humphrey, "The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien" (New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2000) * Carpenter, Humphrey, "J. R. R. Tolkien: A Biography" (London: HarperCollins, 2016 [1977]) * Loconte, Joseph, "A Hobbit, a Wardrobe, and a Great War: How J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis Rediscovered Faith, Friendship, and Heroism in the Cataclysm of 1914-1918" (Nashville: Nelson, 2015) * Shippey, Tom, "J. R. R. Tolkien: Author of the Century" (London: HarperCollins, 2000)