5.20.2016

PCR Podcast Episode 15: Mike Foster—Tolkien scholar, writer, English professor, and journalist

Our fifteenth episode features Mike Foster who is known mostly for his knowledge of J.R.R. Tolkien and Middle Earth (because of a famed Illinois Central College literature class and numerous essays and interviews on the subject), but who has also been a hardworking writer and journalist for over 50 years. While the questions eventually always wind their way back to hobbits and strange elvish (or is it elven?) names, Mike also has lots to share about teaching, music, and writing a good obituary. Shaped by a lifetime of reading and intensive study Mike speaks with a gentle eloquence always tinged with the wonder of faerie. This is our longest episode yet, but stick around to hear some great stories about the people he has met and dialogued with in the Tolkien Universe. You can find more info about Professor Foster here: http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Mike_Foster and here: https://peoriatazewoodfordblog.wordpress.com/about/meet-your-editors-mike-foster/


Subscribe to the podcast on itunes

I took Mike's Tolkien class the Winter/Spring semester of 2002, right after The Fellowship of the Ring film came out. I would have to say taking the course, immersing myself in Tolkien's work, and sitting under Mike's teaching significantly changed the course of my life. So I'm pretty grateful to Mike, even though I never really got to know him personally at the time. It is strange how that happens.

Here's a related literary post of mine where I briefly mention The Lord of the Rings: Confessions of a Failed Literary Graduate.
______________________
Past Podcast Episodes:
Episode 06: Mike Condo of Superfan Vinyl on the release of DC Talk's Jesus Freak 
Episode 07: Pastor Luke Edwards on "why churches should stop giving stuff away"

Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)