There are probably some books or films that have fundamentally shaped who you are as a person. Maybe it was a novel you read in elementary school. Maybe it was a film you watched as a young adult. Whatever it was, it shaped the way you viewed yourself and the world. Many consider J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings to be one such work. Both the books and the films have captured the hearts and imaginations of generations. And they still hold up.

In the first episode of this series, we ask, why is The Lord of the Rings such a big deal? Why is narrative a big deal? All that and more on this edition of the podcast.