West of Valinor
Stephen Westbrook
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Top 10 West of Valinor Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best West of Valinor episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to West of Valinor for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite West of Valinor episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
A Tale of Two Rings
West of Valinor
03/24/22 • 82 min
The chapter where everything changes (between 1937 and 1951, that is). Gollum! and the Ring! Riddles and all of their history, and a look at the competing theologies of Comfort and Destruction.
All this, and More...
The Deep Places of the World
West of Valinor
08/16/21 • 62 min
A look at Giants and at Goblins as Bilbo and Company head up into and then under the mountains. A look at the song of the goblins and at the prophetic nature of dreams.
Country Elves
West of Valinor
07/26/21 • 76 min
Exploring chapter 3 of The Hobbit, including the mythic history of elves both within Tolkien's world and without, and how elves were used in Canterbury Tales, and how they came to be associated with Christmas.
We look at the song and poetry of the elves. And we explore the idea that "things that are good to have and days that are good to spend are soon told about, and not much to listen to; while things that are uncomfortable, palpitating, and even gruesome, may make a good tale."
Tooks and Bagginses
West of Valinor
06/28/21 • 66 min
In this episode we look at Chapter 1 of The Hobbit. Even though Hobbits are a race entirely of Tolkien's own creation, we look at some of the mythic and historical forbearers of hobbits, and of how Tolkien used and altered them. We look at the voice of the narrator, and just how much he knows. We look at the songs of the dwarves, and discuss the roles of poetry and of prose in Tolkien and in general.
A Long Expected Podcast
West of Valinor
06/15/21 • 94 min
An Introduction! West of Valinor's Inaugural Episode introduces fans of Middle Earth to just exactly how The Hobbit was written (and when. and why.) It goes through where Tolkien got some of his earliest inspirations, and the mythic histories of Dwarves and of Wizards.
Working Class Trolls
West of Valinor
07/12/21 • 71 min
In this episode we look at Chapter 2 of The Hobbit, "Roast Mutton." We talk about they mythic history of trolls and how the many incarnations they have had through the millennia. We talk about the opening stages of Bilbo's journey towards the Lonely Mountain, and how it looked when Tolkien first wrote it versus how he would have liked for it to look at the end of his life, we talk about Bilbo's incredible luck and we play with the idea that, by chapter 2, the story still really hasn't finished growing up yet.
Deus Ex
West of Valinor
06/01/22 • 73 min
Looking at Chapter 6 of The Hobbit, "Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire," we meet wolves (or wargs) and eagles. So we look at the uses of wolves and eagles throughout myth and folklore, and we examine what it means for Bilbo and company to no longer be menaced by mythic, fairy tale creatures, but to be menaced by the wild itself, and saved by the wild itself.
An Older World
West of Valinor
07/01/22 • 60 min
An examination of "Queer Lodgings" from The Hobbit. A look at Gandalf's playbook from the other side, and the historic power - but not malice - of bears. A look at how The Hobbit begins to intentionally imitate Anglo Saxon literature and tradition.
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FAQ
How many episodes does West of Valinor have?
West of Valinor currently has 8 episodes available.
What topics does West of Valinor cover?
The podcast is about Tolkien, Legends, Mythology, Lord Of The Rings, Literature, Podcasts, Books, Education, Arts and Fantasy.
What is the most popular episode on West of Valinor?
The episode title 'An Older World' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on West of Valinor?
The average episode length on West of Valinor is 73 minutes.
How often are episodes of West of Valinor released?
Episodes of West of Valinor are typically released every 21 days.
When was the first episode of West of Valinor?
The first episode of West of Valinor was released on Jun 15, 2021.
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