As they look at Book 1, Chapter 3, Pip and Charlie turn their attention to classic Tolkien topics: stars, landscape descriptions, and walking...with some special help from CliffsNotes.com.

Music credit: "Long Road Ahead B" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

All Rings Considered: The Lord of the Rings Read-Through

3. Book 1, Chapter 3: "Three Is Company"

Pip and Charlie get right into it with Book 1, Chapter 1, covering Tolkien's humor, the psychological conflicts of the book, and the transition from The Hobbit to The Lord of the Rings.

Music credit: "Long Road Ahead B" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

1. Book 1, Chapter 1: "A Long-Expected Party"

Book 1, Chapter 4 gets Charlie and Pip thinking about the power of Tolkien's songs and the creepiness of the Nazgul.

Music credit: "Long Road Ahead B" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

4. Book 1, Chapter 4: "A Short Cut to Mushrooms"

Join Charlie and Pip as they discuss each chapter of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings in the latest series from ARC! In this introductory episode, they discuss the concept for this new podcast series and what they find fascinating about the novel as a whole.

Music credit: "Long Road Ahead B" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

0. The Lord of the Rings Read-Through Introduction

As they look at Book 1, Chapter 2, Charlie and Pip discuss what they call one of Tolkien's "Greatest Hits" chapters, the ethical outlook of the book, and the power of hope and pity.

Music credit: "Long Road Ahead B" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

2. Book 1, Chapter 2: "The Shadow of the Past"

Pip and Charlie record a special episode in-person to celebrate...the shortest chapter in all of Book 1. Join them as they look at Tolkien's Catholicism, the geography of Middle-earth, and the return of WaterWatch.

Music credit: "Long Road Ahead B" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

5. Book 1, Chapter 5: "A Conspiracy Unmasked"

Hey-ho merry doll, it's time for Pip and Charlie to spend an entire episode looking at the true hero of The Lord of the Rings, Tom Bombadil.

Music credit: "Long Road Ahead B" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

7. Book 1, Chapter 7: "In the House of Tom Bombadil"

Pip and Charlie are back from holiday break to talk about the Barrow-wights, etymologies, and their most important topic yet: rocks.

Music credit: "Long Road Ahead B" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

8. Book 1, Chapter 8: "Fog on the Barrow-Downs"

Charlie and Pip run out of things to talk about because it's such a straightforward chapt...okay, I can't keep this up, they read into and overanalyze a bunch of stupid details in Book 1, Chapter 9, "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony."

9. Book 1, Chapter 9: "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony"

THE ONE PODCAST EPISODE YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST LISTEN TO: Pip and Charlie look at the character of Aragorn in Book 1, Chapter 10, while also finding time to peruse and discuss clickbait from GQ. Plus, you won't BELIEVE which artistic medium Pip thinks would be a great fit for Tolkien's works...

10. Book 1, Chapter 10: "Strider"

Chapter 11 gives Charlie and Pip the opportunity to look at the landscape of Book 1 and some of the big themes of the novel as a whole, including the nature of evil.

11. Book 1, Chapter 11: "A Knife in the Dark"

With this episode, Pip and Charlie are finishing Book 1 of The Lord of the Rings, and a lo-fi, temporary-use microphone isn't going to stop them. Join them as they look at Pip's favorite chapter of the entire novel!

12. Book 1, Chapter 12: "Flight to the Ford"

Charlie and Pip have made it to Book 2! In this episode, they look at Tolkien's expansion of Middle-earth, his shift to elevated and archaic language, and The Lord of the Rings' consistent relationship with The Hobbit.

13. Book 2, Chapter 1: "Many Meetings"

Pip, Charlie, and a not-so-special, kind-of-average guest pay tribute to the longest chapter in The Lord of the Rings with a super-sized episode!

14. Book 2, Chapter 2: "The Council of Elrond"

The past comes back to help our heroes, Tolkien brings in a little Christianity, and fire abounds as Charlie and Pip look at Book 2, Chapter 3, "The Ring Goes South."

15. Book 2, Chapter 3: "The Ring Goes South"

Charlie and Pip awaken to find themselves looking at one of Book 2's pivotal chapters, "The Bridge of Khazad-Dum." Drums, Balrogs, language writing systems--find it all right here on this week's episode of ARC.

17. Book 2, Chapter 5: "The Bridge of Khazad-Dum"

Book 2, Chapter 6 brings Pip and Charlie to the dangerous-but-fair, preserved-but-dying forest of Lorien.

18. Book 2, Chapter 6: "Lothlorien"

Pip and Charlie say...farewell to Lorien after discussing Book 2, Chapter 8, "Farewell to Lorien." Farewell.

20. Book 2, Chapter 8, "Farewell to Lorien"

We did it! Charlie and Pip finish 'The Fellowship of the Ring' by looking at the meaning of "fellowship," the manipulative behavior of Boromir, and the running themes of Books 1 and 2.

22. Book 2, Chapter 10: "The Breaking of the Fellowship"

Time to dive into a new book! Pip and Charlie talk about Boromir's "victory," Aragorn's choices, and shifting points of view in the first chapter of Book 3 and The Two Towers, "The Departure of Boromir."

23. Book 3, Chapter 1: "The Departure of Boromir"

Did you know that Tolkien kinda loved landscape descriptions? The shocking details in this episode of ARC covering Book 3, Chapter 2, "The Riders of Rohan."

24. Book 3, Chapter 2: "The Riders of Rohan"

Charlie and Pip look at evil as self-defeating, events as echoes, and the problem with orcs in Book 3, Chapter 3, "The Uruk-Hai."

25. Book 3, Chapter 3: "The Uruk-Hai"

Pip and Charlie talk a little about trees, a little about beards, a lot about Treebeard, and just a tiny bit about Manbeard in this episode of ARC.

26. Book 3, Chapter 4: "Treebeard"

It's Charlie's and Pip's favorite chapter! ...or not... Still, it's here, and we have to find something to talk about for Book 3, Chapter 5, "The White Rider."

27. Book 3, Chapter 5: "The White Rider"

"Helm's Deep" is, uh, a chapter in The Lord of the Rings. Yup. (We're not gaining any new subscribers from this episode.)

29. Book 3, Chapter 7: "Helm's Deep"

Humor and death make good company, apparently, since "The Road to Isengard" is full of both.

30. Book 3, Chapter 8: "The Road to Isengard"

The parallel relationship between between Books 3 and 4, Tolkien's First World War influences, and our first listener-submitted question--all this and more on episode 35 of ARC's Lord of the Rings Read-Through.

35. Book 4, Chapter 2: "The Passage of the Marshes"

In this special episode, Charlie and Pip reach the end of Book IV and The Two Towers. Join them for a discussion on grief, tonal shifts, and their final conclusions on the relationship between Books III and IV. Plus, stay tuned after the discussion for some on-location podcasting from Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, a place that served as an inspiration for Tolkien...

Pictures from the trip to Lauterbrunnen can be found on Charlie's Instagram, @leinphotography, or on his Flickr page at https://www.flickr.com/photos/leinphotography/33844691318/in/dateposted-public/lightbox/

43. Book 4, Chapter 10: "The Choices of Master Samwise"

Tolkien turns epic in Book 5, Chapter 4, "The Siege of Gondor," and Charlie and Pip are here to break it down.

47. Book 5, Chapter 4: "The Siege of Gondor"

Charlie and Pip enter Book 6 while Frodo and Sam enter Mordor--it's time to start the FINAL book of The Lord of the Rings!

54. Book 6, Chapter 1: "The Tower of Cirith Ungol"

Hear what Pip and Charlie have to say about the greatest line in The Lord of the Rings. Plus, a special shout-out to Jeff Goldblum--all this and more in our discussion of Book 6, Chapter 2: "The Land of Shadow."

55. Book 6, Chapter 2: "The Land of Shadow"

Finally, Charlie and Pip reach the climax of the entire book. Tune in to hear about the fate of the Ring, the role of chance, and the tension between free will and human nature in this episode of ARC!

56. Book 6, Chapter 3: "Mount Doom"

Pip and Charlie have made it to the home-stretch! Join them as they shamelessly impugn Tolkien's own thoughts in episode 57 of ARC!

57. Book 6, Chapter 4: "The Field of Cormallen"

In this special "Mourning Edition" of the show, Charlie and Pip get some bad news from NPR, but that won't stop them from discussing Eowyn and Faramir and everything they represent in Book 6, Chapter 5, "The Steward and the King."

ARC: The Lord of the Rings Read-Through

58. Book 6, Chapter 5: "The Steward and the King"

Indiana University doctoral candidate Luke J. Chambers joins Pip and Charlie to discuss both this chapter and, more importantly, his article, "Enta Geweorc and the Work of Ents," just recently published in volume 16 of the Tolkien Studies journal!

59. Book 6, Chapter 6: "Many Partings"

Charlie and Pip inch closer to the end of the book as they look at the real meaning of the Shire in Book 6, Chapter 7, "Homeward Bound."

60. Book 6, Chapter 7: "Homeward Bound"

The Hobbits come home while Pip and Charlie hit the homeward stretch of the series in Book 6, Chapter 8, "The Scouring of the Shire."

61. Book 6, Chapter 8: "The Scouring of the Shire"

It's the final chapter of 'The Lord of the Rings,' and Charlie and Pip are here to analyze its allusions and themes, while also saving time to debate the tone of the ending in the penultimate episode of the entire series. Lie down. Try not to cry. Cry a lot.

62. Book 6, Chapter 9: "The Grey Havens"

Join Pip and Charlie *one last time* for a relaxed, informal conversation about The Lord of the Rings as a whole and their thoughts on recording a podcast for two years. Buckle up, this is a long one.

63. The Lord of the Rings Read-Through Conclusion

Charlie Lein, Pip Parker, and various guests discuss the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Music credit: "Long Road Ahead B" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

ARC: A Tolkien Podcast

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