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Thread: The Tolkien Professor


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Hey guys, I ran across this professor who teaches a class about Tolkien at Washington College, and actually really enjoyed the lectures he has posted. His name is Corey Olsen (but he calls himself the "tolkien professor"). He has a website, where you can find out more about him, but I've been using itunes to listen to his lectures and chats. Anyway, I recommend checking it out. And please add to the list of bona fide academics who study Tolkien if you know of any who publish their materials.

I've been enjoying his podcasts for a while now.  (First brought to my attention in this thread: http://www.planet-tolkien.com/board/3/3932/0/tolkien-professor Wink Smilie

Did you know that he's starting an online Institute offering courses for credit - eventually with the goal of becoming fully accredited for graduate study and handing out Master's degrees in Tolkien Studies?  Check it out: http://www.mythgard.org/

I'm thinking about signing up to take the course offered next Spring on Tolkien & Lewis.

I LOVE Professor Olsen!! I have listened to his lectures and find them INCREDIBLY fascinating! I stumbled upon him quite by accident and since then, I cannot read the Silmarillion, the Hobbit, or The Lord of the Rings the same anymore. He is really good!

I wonder if he has done any more on his "The Hobbit" lectures...he had a series going where he was doing an in-depth study of the book - sans the classroom experience. It does my heart good to know that colleges out there offer classes on the man who redefined the fantasy genre. 

He's got 5 in-depth Hobbit lectures posted so far (up to "Bilbo builds his resume"Wink Smilie - which is where it's been for a while.  If you've been listening to his other lectures (the ones he posts from his current classes, and the occasional "skype-in" call-in podcasts, he keeps on SAYING that he's coming back to the in-depth Hobbit lecture series.  He's just trying to do a lot of other things too!

Ah, sorry for posting in another thread, but I did try searching for it first.

Anyway, I've really been enjoying listening to Prof Olsen analyze the books from a more academic perspective than I generally view things. Specifically, I found the discussion on Tolkien and philology to be quite interesting. I also enjoy listening to the chats with his students, though I get the urge to want to  debate some of the points they make.

I'm glad people do know about this, and I've learned that I should check this fantastic website out more often.