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The Prancing Pony Podcast

The Prancing Pony Podcast

By: The Prancing Pony Podcast
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 The Prancing Pony Podcast is a weekly show about the Middle-earth legendarium of J.R.R. Tolkien, hosted - for six seasons - by Alan Sisto and Shawn E. Marchese. Now in its ninth season, Alan is joined by an all-star cast of co-hosts as he explores more of Middle-earth! Alan and all his co-hosts are passionate Tolkien enthusiasts, inviting listeners to enjoy their detailed exploration of Tolkien’s work, with smart but straightforward discussion and a healthy dose of self-effacing humor, pop-culture references, and bad puns. These are the folks you'd want to hang out with at a pub and talk Tolkien with!© The Prancing Pony Podcast Art Literary History & Criticism
Episodes
  • 391 – By Grabthar’s Hammer, What a Book!

    391 – By Grabthar’s Hammer, What a Book!
    Nov 23 2025
    Join The Man of the West and The Shieldmaiden of Rohan for a very special conversation with Dr. Michael D.C. Drout, author of The Tower and the Ruin: J.R.R. Tolkien’s Creation, the new must-read book about Tolkien’s legendarium. Professor Drout builds the best dark towers ever, confesses his man-crush on Tom Shippey, and starts a fight with Alan about the talking fox. We discuss Jerry Springer in Middle-earth, laugh at a joke no one else laughed at, and whole-heartedly agree with Mike that “they cannot conquer forever.” This is a long and heartfelt conversation that every Tolkien fan should listen to — immediately before buying The Tower and the Ruin. Also, the title really is relevant, I promise. The Tower and the Ruin: https://amzn.to/49KAUzy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 17 mins
  • 390 – Hello, Goodbye

    390 – Hello, Goodbye
    Nov 16 2025
    Aldarion offers the usual assortment of excuses for his shortcomings, and delivers the mail to Meneldur; Alan and Sara offer no excuses for the PPP’s shortcomings, and wonder why Gil-galad hasn’t written to us. Join The Man of the West and the Shieldmaiden of Rohan as we continue our close readings in the story of Aldarion and Erendis in Unfinished Tales. Zamîn has “the talk” with Ancalimë; Erendis says ‘stop’, Aldarion says ‘go’; and Erendis looks for signs of regret in a man proving himself incapable of it. We wonder how much trouble Zamîn is in for naming Aldarion, express our appreciation of Meneldur’s counsel for his son, and note how incredibly easy it is to irk Aldarion. Also, Alan aspires to be a Sheep Lord. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 22 mins
  • 389 – Nowhere Man

    389 – Nowhere Man
    Nov 9 2025
    Aldarion claims to ask for only two years, but takes a lot more; Alan and Sara ask for only two hours, and only take a little bit more. Join The Man of the West and the Shieldmaiden of Rohan as we begin to discover that maybe we should have asked for more than 10 episodes in the story of Aldarion and Erendis from Unfinished Tales. Ancalimë, the daughter of Aldarion and Erendis, is born just in time for Aldarion to let her down; the King’s Heir proves to be as blind as he can be, just sees what he wants to see; and Núneth once again proves that motherly advice is not always good advice. We decide to stop long enough to smell the Oiolairë, note that guile is the last thing we want the Valar to send our children, and wonder if Aldarion just used the Númenórean version of “calm down, woman”. Also, we’d buy tickets to see Turuphanto in concert. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 12 mins
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