The Tolkien Professor

The Tolkien Professor (Corey Olsen)
The Tolkien Professor

The Tolkien Professor podcast is a series of lectures, discussions, and seminars on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien by Corey Olsen, President of Signum University. All are welcome to enter – even those without any party business!

  1. Other Minds and Hands, Episode 102

    MAY 14

    Other Minds and Hands, Episode 102

    Corey and Maggie, excited by their first experiment, are trying another FanTracks recording, watching Andor, s1e1 together.Other Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation, Episode 102, recorded on May 12, 2025.For more information about Signum Studios and Signum Collaboratory, visit Signum Studios https://studios.signumuniversity.org/ Signum Collaboratory https://collaboratory.signumuniversity.org/Join us on Mondays at 4:30 PM ET, on this SignumU Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/SignumUniversity and SignumU Twitch channel https://www.twitch.tv/signumu Check the schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule For more information https://mythgard.org/miscellany/ You can watch or listen to the recordings here. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIV0nHc_Ji8CLs1C-a6iuXMY https://tolkienprof.fireside.fm/subscribeHosts: Dr. Corey Olsen the Tolkien Professor https://signumuniversity.org/directory/corey-olsen/ Dr. Maggie Parke https://signumuniversity.org/directory/maggie-parke/Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.gg/szXMFAvFollow our Twitter accounts for updates: Corey Olsen, Tolkien Professor https://twitter.com/tolkienprof Signum University https://twitter.com/SignumU Mythgard Institute https://twitter.com/mythgardianRings and Realms: https://www.youtube.com/c/RingsandRealms Corey and Maggie's weekly analysis of Prime Video's epic adaptation of Tolkien’s mythos. Presented by Signum University and Studio Lab. audio-only version recordings (podcast) https://ringsandrealms.fireside.fm/Want to dive deeper into Tolkien's world? Corey is offering several free and open weekly and biweekly programs on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and other topics at Mythgard Institute. https://mythgard.org/ You can check the live schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule More about the individual programs Exploring the Lord of the Rings: a sentence-by-sentence journey through the text of Tolkien's epic fairy story (and Stephen Colbert's favorite https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/03/magazine/stephen-colbert-politics-religion.html ) https://mythgard.org/lotro/exlotr/ Mythgard Academy: in-depth seminars on fantasy, science fiction, and other speculative works https://mythgard.org/academy/ The Silmarillion Film Project/SilmFilm: a completely hypothetical discussion about what J.R.R. Tolkien’s Silmarillion would look like as a TV series https://mythgard.org/silmfilm/ Those recordings can be found on this Signum University Youtube channel as well as on our podcasts. https://mythgard.org/listen/ Other Minds and Hands and SilmFilm recordings are on the Tolkien Professor podcast.For those who feel reading the Silmarillion for the first time is a bit daunting. https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/silmarillion-seminar/Corey walks you through The Lord of the Rings, Unfinished Tales, and even the volumes of History of Middle-earth series on his Mythgard Academy series. https://mythgard.org/academy/And here are more links if you dare. https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/the-undergraduate-tolkien-survey/ https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/faerie-and-fantasy/ https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/Want more fan/fun gatherings? Check our news and events page for moots (in-person and virtual) and online events. https://signumuniversity.org/news-and-events/We also provide affordable higher education and fun, engaging learning (Tolkien Studies, Imaginative Literature, Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance Literature, and Germanic Philology) at Signum University. https://signumuniversity.org/ About Signum University https://signumuniversity.org/about/ Signum University Graduate Program https://signumuniversity.org/admissions/grad-program/ SPACE Signum Portals for Adult Continuing Education https://signumuniversity.org/space

    1h 28m
  2. Other Minds and Hands, Episode 101

    MAY 14

    Other Minds and Hands, Episode 101

    Welcome behind the scenes, as Corey and Maggie record a FanTrack commentary on Rings of Power Season 2, Ep 2.Thank you for your support for our project. Rings & Realms:The Lord of the Rings-The War of the Rohirrim https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/signumu/ringsandrealms-the-lord-of-the-rings-the-war-of-the-rohirrim?ref=usermenuOther Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation, Episode 101, recorded on May 5, 2025. Thank you for your support for our Annual Fundraising Campaign. If you missed the campaign event broadcasts, you can watch the recordings here. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIW4X6biE7MLLGssLtApH8PJoin us on Mondays at 4:30 PM ET, on this SignumU Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/SignumUniversity and SignumU Twitch channel https://www.twitch.tv/signumu Check the schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule For more information https://mythgard.org/miscellany/ You can watch or listen to the recordings here. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIV0nHc_Ji8CLs1C-a6iuXMY https://tolkienprof.fireside.fm/subscribeHosts: Dr. Corey Olsen the Tolkien Professor https://signumuniversity.org/directory/corey-olsen/ Dr. Maggie Parke https://signumuniversity.org/directory/maggie-parke/Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.gg/szXMFAvFollow our Twitter accounts for updates: Corey Olsen, Tolkien Professor https://twitter.com/tolkienprof Signum University https://twitter.com/SignumU Mythgard Institute https://twitter.com/mythgardianRings and Realms: https://www.youtube.com/c/RingsandRealms Corey and Maggie's weekly analysis of Prime Video's epic adaptation of Tolkien’s mythos. Presented by Signum University and Studio Lab. audio-only version recordings (podcast) https://ringsandrealms.fireside.fm/Want to dive deeper into Tolkien's world? Corey is offering several free and open weekly and biweekly programs on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and other topics at Mythgard Institute. https://mythgard.org/ You can check the live schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule More about the individual programs Exploring the Lord of the Rings: a sentence-by-sentence journey through the text of Tolkien's epic fairy story (and Stephen Colbert's favorite https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/03/magazine/stephen-colbert-politics-religion.html ) https://mythgard.org/lotro/exlotr/ Mythgard Academy: in-depth seminars on fantasy, science fiction, and other speculative works https://mythgard.org/academy/ The Silmarillion Film Project/SilmFilm: a completely hypothetical discussion about what J.R.R. Tolkien’s Silmarillion would look like as a TV series https://mythgard.org/silmfilm/ Those recordings can be found on this Signum University Youtube channel as well as on our podcasts. https://mythgard.org/listen/ Other Minds and Hands and SilmFilm recordings are on the Tolkien Professor podcast.For those who feel reading the Silmarillion for the first time is a bit daunting. https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/silmarillion-seminar/Corey walks you through The Lord of the Rings, Unfinished Tales, and even the volumes of History of Middle-earth series on his Mythgard Academy series. https://mythgard.org/academy/And here are more links if you dare. https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/the-undergraduate-tolkien-survey/ https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/faerie-and-fantasy/ https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/Want more fan/fun gatherings? Check our news and events page for moots (in-person and virtual) and online events. https://signumuniversity.org/news-and-events/We also provide affordable higher education and fun, engaging learning (Tolkien Studies, Imaginative Literature, Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance Literature, and Germanic Philology) at Signum University. https://signumuniversity.org/ About Signum University https://signumuniversity.org/about/ Signum University Graduate Program https://signumuniversity.org/admissions/grad-program/ SPACE Signum Portals for Adult Continuing Education https://signumuniversity.org/space

    1h 38m
  3. Other Minds and Hands, Episode 100

    APR 28

    Other Minds and Hands, Episode 100

    In their centennial episode, Maggie and Corey talk about some future plans and discuss adaptation analysis possibilities with the attendees.Thank you for your support for our project. Rings & Realms:The Lord of the Rings-The War of the Rohirrim https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/signumu/ringsandrealms-the-lord-of-the-rings-the-war-of-the-rohirrim?ref=usermenuOther Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation, Episode 100, recorded on April 21, 2025.Thank you for your support for our Annual Fundraising Campaign. If you missed the campaign event broadcasts, you can watch the recordings here. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIW4X6biE7MLLGssLtApH8PJoin us on Mondays at 4:30 PM ET, on this SignumU Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/SignumUniversity and SignumU Twitch channel https://www.twitch.tv/signumu Check the schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule For more information https://mythgard.org/miscellany/ You can watch or listen to the recordings here. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIV0nHc_Ji8CLs1C-a6iuXMY https://tolkienprof.fireside.fm/subscribeHosts: Dr. Corey Olsen the Tolkien Professor https://signumuniversity.org/directory/corey-olsen/ Dr. Maggie Parke https://signumuniversity.org/directory/maggie-parke/Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.gg/szXMFAvFollow our Twitter accounts for updates: Corey Olsen, Tolkien Professor https://twitter.com/tolkienprof Signum University https://twitter.com/SignumU Mythgard Institute https://twitter.com/mythgardianRings and Realms: https://www.youtube.com/c/RingsandRealms Corey and Maggie's weekly analysis of Prime Video's epic adaptation of Tolkien’s mythos. Presented by Signum University and Studio Lab. audio-only version recordings (podcast) https://ringsandrealms.fireside.fm/Want to dive deeper into Tolkien's world? Corey is offering several free and open weekly and biweekly programs on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and other topics at Mythgard Institute. https://mythgard.org/ You can check the live schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule More about the individual programs Exploring the Lord of the Rings: a sentence-by-sentence journey through the text of Tolkien's epic fairy story (and Stephen Colbert's favorite https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/03/magazine/stephen-colbert-politics-religion.html ) https://mythgard.org/lotro/exlotr/ Mythgard Academy: in-depth seminars on fantasy, science fiction, and other speculative works https://mythgard.org/academy/ The Silmarillion Film Project/SilmFilm: a completely hypothetical discussion about what J.R.R. Tolkien’s Silmarillion would look like as a TV series https://mythgard.org/silmfilm/ Those recordings can be found on this Signum University Youtube channel as well as on our podcasts. https://mythgard.org/listen/ Other Minds and Hands and SilmFilm recordings are on the Tolkien Professor podcast.For those who feel reading the Silmarillion for the first time is a bit daunting. https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/silmarillion-seminar/Corey walks you through The Lord of the Rings, Unfinished Tales, and even the volumes of History of Middle-earth series on his Mythgard Academy series. https://mythgard.org/academy/And here are more links if you dare. https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/the-undergraduate-tolkien-survey/ https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/faerie-and-fantasy/ https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/Want more fan/fun gatherings? Check our news and events page for moots (in-person and virtual) and online events. https://signumuniversity.org/news-and-events/We also provide affordable higher education and fun, engaging learning (Tolkien Studies, Imaginative Literature, Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance Literature, and Germanic Philology) at Signum University. https://signumuniversity.org/ About Signum University https://signumuniversity.org/about/ Signum University Graduate Program https://signumuniversity.org/admissions/grad-program/ SPACE Signum Portals for Adult Continuing Education https://signumuniversity.org/space

    1h 26m
  4. Other Minds and Hands, Episode 99

    APR 10

    Other Minds and Hands, Episode 99

    Maggie and Corey are joined by Ben Davis for an anticipatory discussion of the material to be adapted in The Hunt for Gollum.Thank you for your support for our project. Rings & Realms:The Lord of the Rings-The War of the Rohirrim https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/signumu/ringsandrealms-the-lord-of-the-rings-the-war-of-the-rohirrim?ref=usermenuOther Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation, Episode 99, recorded on March 31, 2025.Thank you for your support for our Annual Fundraising Campaign. If you missed the campaign event broadcasts, you can watch the recordings here. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIW4X6biE7MLLGssLtApH8PJoin us on Mondays at 4:30 PM ET, on this SignumU Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/SignumUniversity and SignumU Twitch channel https://www.twitch.tv/signumu Check the schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule For more information https://mythgard.org/miscellany/ You can watch or listen to the recordings here. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIV0nHc_Ji8CLs1C-a6iuXMY https://tolkienprof.fireside.fm/subscribeHosts: Dr. Corey Olsen the Tolkien Professor https://signumuniversity.org/directory/corey-olsen/ Dr. Maggie Parke https://signumuniversity.org/directory/maggie-parke/Episode guest: Ben Davis from Studio Lab https://www.youtube.com/@StudioLabNHJoin us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.gg/szXMFAvFollow our Twitter accounts for updates: Corey Olsen, Tolkien Professor https://twitter.com/tolkienprof Signum University https://twitter.com/SignumU Mythgard Institute https://twitter.com/mythgardianRings and Realms: https://www.youtube.com/c/RingsandRealms Corey and Maggie's weekly analysis of Prime Video's epic adaptation of Tolkien’s mythos. Presented by Signum University and Studio Lab. audio-only version recordings (podcast) https://ringsandrealms.fireside.fm/Want to dive deeper into Tolkien's world? Corey is offering several free and open weekly and biweekly programs on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and other topics at Mythgard Institute. https://mythgard.org/ You can check the live schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule More about the individual programs Exploring the Lord of the Rings: a sentence-by-sentence journey through the text of Tolkien's epic fairy story (and Stephen Colbert's favorite https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/03/magazine/stephen-colbert-politics-religion.html ) https://mythgard.org/lotro/exlotr/ Mythgard Academy: in-depth seminars on fantasy, science fiction, and other speculative works https://mythgard.org/academy/ The Silmarillion Film Project/SilmFilm: a completely hypothetical discussion about what J.R.R. Tolkien’s Silmarillion would look like as a TV series https://mythgard.org/silmfilm/ Those recordings can be found on this Signum University Youtube channel as well as on our podcasts. https://mythgard.org/listen/ Other Minds and Hands and SilmFilm recordings are on the Tolkien Professor podcast.For those who feel reading the Silmarillion for the first time is a bit daunting. https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/silmarillion-seminar/Corey walks you through The Lord of the Rings, Unfinished Tales, and even the volumes of History of Middle-earth series on his Mythgard Academy series. https://mythgard.org/academy/And here are more links if you dare. https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/the-undergraduate-tolkien-survey/ https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/faerie-and-fantasy/ https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/Want more fan/fun gatherings? Check our news and events page for moots (in-person and virtual) and online events. https://signumuniversity.org/news-and-events/We also provide affordable higher education and fun, engaging learning (Tolkien Studies, Imaginative Literature, Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance Literature, and Germanic Philology) at Signum University. https://signumuniversity.org/ About Signum University https://signumuniversity.org/about/ Signum University Graduate Program https://signumuniversity.org/admissions/grad-program/ SPACE Signum Portals for Adult Continuing Education https://signumuniversity.org/space

    1h 29m
  5. Other Minds and Hands, Episode 98

    MAR 26

    Other Minds and Hands, Episode 98

    Corey and Maggie return to Narnia and the unfortunate Voyage of the Dawn Treader adaptation in order to address the question: Wherein does its badness consist?Thank you for your support for our project. Rings & Realms:The Lord of the Rings-The War of the Rohirrim https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/signumu/ringsandrealms-the-lord-of-the-rings-the-war-of-the-rohirrim?ref=usermenuOther Minds and Hands: An Open and Friendly Discussion of Tolkien Adaptation, Episode 98, recorded on March 24, 2025.Thank you for your support for our Annual Fundraising Campaign. If you missed the campaign event broadcasts, you can watch the recordings here. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIW4X6biE7MLLGssLtApH8PJoin us on Mondays at 4:30 PM ET, on this SignumU Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/SignumUniversity and SignumU Twitch channel https://www.twitch.tv/signumu Check the schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule For more information https://mythgard.org/miscellany/ You can watch or listen to the recordings here. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLasMbZ4s5vIV0nHc_Ji8CLs1C-a6iuXMY https://tolkienprof.fireside.fm/subscribeHosts: Dr. Corey Olsen the Tolkien Professor https://signumuniversity.org/directory/corey-olsen/ Dr. Maggie Parke https://signumuniversity.org/directory/maggie-parke/Join us on the Signum University Discord server: https://discord.gg/szXMFAvFollow our Twitter accounts for updates: Corey Olsen, Tolkien Professor https://twitter.com/tolkienprof Signum University https://twitter.com/SignumU Mythgard Institute https://twitter.com/mythgardianRings and Realms: https://www.youtube.com/c/RingsandRealms Corey and Maggie's weekly analysis of Prime Video's epic adaptation of Tolkien’s mythos. Presented by Signum University and Studio Lab. audio-only version recordings (podcast) https://ringsandrealms.fireside.fm/Want to dive deeper into Tolkien's world? Corey is offering several free and open weekly and biweekly programs on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and other topics at Mythgard Institute. https://mythgard.org/ You can check the live schedule here. https://www.twitch.tv/signumu/schedule More about the individual programs Exploring the Lord of the Rings: a sentence-by-sentence journey through the text of Tolkien's epic fairy story (and Stephen Colbert's favorite https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/06/03/magazine/stephen-colbert-politics-religion.html ) https://mythgard.org/lotro/exlotr/ Mythgard Academy: in-depth seminars on fantasy, science fiction, and other speculative works https://mythgard.org/academy/ The Silmarillion Film Project/SilmFilm: a completely hypothetical discussion about what J.R.R. Tolkien’s Silmarillion would look like as a TV series https://mythgard.org/silmfilm/ Those recordings can be found on this Signum University Youtube channel as well as on our podcasts. https://mythgard.org/listen/ Other Minds and Hands and SilmFilm recordings are on the Tolkien Professor podcast.For those who feel reading the Silmarillion for the first time is a bit daunting. https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/silmarillion-seminar/Corey walks you through The Lord of the Rings, Unfinished Tales, and even the volumes of History of Middle-earth series on his Mythgard Academy series. https://mythgard.org/academy/And here are more links if you dare. https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/the-undergraduate-tolkien-survey/ https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/faerie-and-fantasy/ https://tolkienprofessor.com/lectures/courses/Want more fan/fun gatherings? Check our news and events page for moots (in-person and virtual) and online events. https://signumuniversity.org/news-and-events/We also provide affordable higher education and fun, engaging learning (Tolkien Studies, Imaginative Literature, Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance Literature, and Germanic Philology) at Signum University. https://signumuniversity.org/ About Signum University https://signumuniversity.org/about/ Signum University Graduate Program https://signumuniversity.org/admissions/grad-program/ SPACE Signum Portals for Adult Continuing Education https://signumuniversity.org/space

    1h 30m
4.7
out of 5
228 Ratings

About

The Tolkien Professor podcast is a series of lectures, discussions, and seminars on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien by Corey Olsen, President of Signum University. All are welcome to enter – even those without any party business!

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