The Plunge with Derek Holser

Welcome to Episode 6 in our Animals in Literature series. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions, and meanings we find in stories featuring anthropomorphic animals. Joining me for today's conversation on all things CATS! in stories is Laura Burnett, a newcomer to The Plunge. We discuss the cat Church from Stephen King's Pet Sematary, the unnamed cat in Coraline, Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat, Crookshanks from Harry Potter, and many more! Laura Burnett lives on the New England seacoast with her husband, son, and two shelter cats. She is a teacher, writer, and organic farmer with a Masters in Education from Boston College. When she’s not chasing her eight-month-old around the house or digging around in the dirt of her garden, you can find her trying to perfect her butternut squash curry recipe or curled up with the latest Tana French novel. She writes on Substack at Lighthouse Hymns. https://substack.com/@lauraburnett ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2xemfzs9

Welcome to Episode 5 in our Animals in Literature series. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions, and meanings we find in stories featuring anthropomorphic animals. Joining me today is Elizabeth Hardy as we conclude our chapter-by-chapter journey through the beloved Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. Elizabeth is an instructor of English at western North Carolina's Mayland Community College. In addition to composition and literature courses, she teaches humanities courses, including Myth in Human Culture and Introduction to Film. To learn more about Elizabeth's life and work, check out her website: https://www.appalachianinkling.com/ Elizabeth's newest book, to be published October 2026, is Appalachia in the Hunger Games: Real-Life Roots of District 12 (https://tinyurl.com/3z7kuran) This book reviews Suzanne Collins's depiction of District 12, which draws upon longstanding Appalachian landscapes, industries, and culture, using lived experiences from the region as inspiration for her fictional setting. Elizabeth examines how Susanne Collins adapts features of Appalachian geography and community into speculative fiction, creating an environment that echoes both contemporary and historic Appalachia. Elizabeth is the author of Milton, Spenser, and the Chronicles of Narnia: Literary Sources for the C.S. Lewis Novels. (https://www.amazon.com/Milton-Spenser-Chronicles-Narnia-Literary/dp/0786428767) She also frequently writes literary and popular culture criticism and has contributed to numerous collections focusing on the work of C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling, as well as on topics as diverse as The Hunger Games and Star Trek. A popular presenter, she contributes to a variety of programs and podcasts and might be found sharing about 18th century medicinal plants, World War II Victory Gardens, or literary alchemy, depending on the day. ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Tambika & The Shield of Wisdom ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2xemfzs9

Welcome to Episode 4 in our Animals in Literature series. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions, and meanings we find in stories featuring anthropomorphic animals. Joining me today is Elizabeth Hardy as we continue our chapter-by-chapter journey through the beloved Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. Elizabeth is an instructor of English at western North Carolina's Mayland Community College. In addition to composition and literature courses, she teaches humanities courses, including Myth in Human Culture and Introduction to Film. To learn more about Elizabeth's life and work, check out her website: https://www.appalachianinkling.com/ Elizabeth's newest book, to be published October 2026, is Appalachia in the Hunger Games: Real-Life Roots of District 12 (https://tinyurl.com/3z7kuran) This book reviews Suzanne Collins's depiction of District 12, which draws upon longstanding Appalachian landscapes, industries, and culture, using lived experiences from the region as inspiration for her fictional setting. Elizabeth examines how Susanne Collins adapts features of Appalachian geography and community into speculative fiction, creating an environment that echoes both contemporary and historic Appalachia. Elizabeth is the author of Milton, Spenser, and the Chronicles of Narnia: Literary Sources for the C.S. Lewis Novels. (https://www.amazon.com/Milton-Spenser-Chronicles-Narnia-Literary/dp/0786428767) She also frequently writes literary and popular culture criticism and has contributed to numerous collections focusing on the work of C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling, as well as on topics as diverse as The Hunger Games and Star Trek. A popular presenter, she contributes to a variety of programs and podcasts and might be found sharing about 18th century medicinal plants, World War II Victory Gardens, or literary alchemy, depending on the day. ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Tambika & The Shield of Wisdom ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2xemfzs9

Welcome to Episode 3 in our Animals in Literature series. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions, and meanings we find in stories featuring anthropomorphic animals. Joining me today is Elizabeth Hardy for the second in our multi-part conversation about the beloved Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. Elizabeth is an instructor of English at western North Carolina's Mayland Community College. In addition to composition and literature courses, she teaches humanities courses, including Myth in Human Culture and Introduction to Film. To learn more about Elizabeth's life and work, check out her website: https://www.appalachianinkling.com/ Elizabeth's newest book, to be published October 2026, is Appalachia in the Hunger Games: Real-Life Roots of District 12 (https://tinyurl.com/3z7kuran) This book reviews Suzanne Collins's depiction of District 12, which draws upon longstanding Appalachian landscapes, industries, and culture, using lived experiences from the region as inspiration for her fictional setting. Elizabeth examines how Susanne Collins adapts features of Appalachian geography and community into speculative fiction, creating an environment that echoes both contemporary and historic Appalachia. Elizabeth is the author of Milton, Spenser, and the Chronicles of Narnia: Literary Sources for the C.S. Lewis Novels. (https://www.amazon.com/Milton-Spenser-Chronicles-Narnia-Literary/dp/0786428767) She also frequently writes literary and popular culture criticism and has contributed to numerous collections focusing on the work of C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling, as well as on topics as diverse as The Hunger Games and Star Trek. A popular presenter, she contributes to a variety of programs and podcasts and might be found sharing about 18th century medicinal plants, World War II Victory Gardens, or literary alchemy, depending on the day. ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Tambika & The Shield of Wisdom ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2xemfzs9 ⸻

Welcome to Episode 2 in our Animals in Literature series. This series aims to explore the origins, conventions, and meanings we find in stories featuring anthropomorphic animals. Joining me today is Elizabeth Hardy for the first in our multi-part conversation about the beloved Charlotte's Web by E.B. White.          Elizabeth is instructor of English at western North Carolina's Mayland Community College. In addition to composition and literature courses, she teaches humanities courses including Myth in Human Culture and Introduction to Film.         She is the author of Milton, Spenser, and the Chronicles of Narnia: Literary Sources for the C.S. Lewis Novels. (https://www.amazon.com/Milton-Spenser-Chronicles-Narnia-Literary/dp/0786428767)         She also frequently writes literary and popular culture criticism and has contributed to numerous collections focusing on the work of C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling, as well as on topics as diverse as The Hunger Games and Star Trek. A popular presenter, she contributes to a variety of programs and podcasts and might be found sharing about 18th century medicinal plants, World War II Victory Gardens, or literary alchemy, depending on the day.  ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Tambika & The Shield of Wisdom ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2xemfzs9    

Welcome to Episode Eighteen in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. Today's conversation explores the transformation of Smeagol into Gollum, and entertains the possibility that maybe Smeagol found his way back to the light at the bottom of the fires of Mt. Doom... Leah Holser returns for her second appearance on The Plunge. Enjoy our spirited discussion of the implications of discovering the Ring, the explicit connection between Greed and Violence, and the possibility of redemption and restoration, no matter how far the Ring takes us away from the Light. Leah Holser will complete her Master's in Theology & Culture at St. Stephen's University in 2026. She has been active in parenting and children's ministry for nearly 25 years, and has a passion for families to be full of love and flourish in every way. She is the President of the Board of Directors of Northwest Family Life, a Seattle-based nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the cycle of domestic violence. Since 1989, Northwest Family Life’s network of faith-based counselors has been characterized by a strong commitment to our mission of “assisting individuals and families in finding hope and healing when facing the pain of domestic violence, trafficking, trauma, and related issues.” As a non-profit learning and counseling center based in the greater Seattle area, we have a three-pronged approach to ending domestic violence: advocacy, intervention, and prevention. Northwest Family Life is a 501(c)3 organization. https://northwestfamilylife.org/ ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders: Tambika & The Shield of Wisdom ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2xemfzs9  

Welcome to Episode Seventeen in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. Today's conversation shines the spotlight on the dark lord himself, SAURON.          Turner Burnett returns for his third appearance on The Plunge. We explore the meaning and nature of evil, Sauron's backstory, the power of the Ring, and the eternal temptation of mortal men.           Turner Burnett is a husband, father, writer, music artist and amateur pie-maker. He spends most of his time day-dreaming about seeing artists partner with God to create meaningful beauty that draws people into the Kingdom of Heaven. A Seattle native, Turner currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where he works at Sony Music in artist development. His favorite color is blue!       ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser New Book! Lightgliders: Tambika & The Shield of Wisdom ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2xemfzs9  

Welcome to Episode Sixteen in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. Today's conversation shines the spotlight on two central characters in the Fellowship: Boromir & Gimli.       My guest, Chris Tansey, shares how each character has inspired him at different points in his life, and offers us a deeper appreciation for literary figures in our lives.          Chris Tansey is a middle school English teacher on Cape Cod. He loves history, movies, books and pizza. He is married to the wonderful Laura and has a new baby named Sam (partially in honor of Samwise). He has two cats, one of whom he likes.        ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser New Book! Lightgliders: Tambika & The Shield of Wisdom ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2xemfzs9  

Welcome to Episode Fifteen in our series entitled Tolkien's Greatest Characters. Today's conversation features returning guest Landon Loftin, who enlightens us on the earnest, the venerable, the ever-inspiring: Faramir.        Landon Loftin has a BA in Religion and Philosophy from Southwest Baptist University, an MA in Apologetics from Houston Christian University, and a PhD in Humanities from Faulkner University.        He is the author of numerous academic articles on the works of authors such as G.K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, and Owen Barfield. Additionally, he is the co-author of What Barfield Thought: An Introduction to the Work of Owen Barfield, for which he was named co-recipient of the 2023 Award of Excellence by the Barfield Literary Estate.        Connect with Landon: Book: https://tinyurl.com/5ee6hr3j         ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders: Tambika & The Shield of Wisdom ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/2xemfzs9   ⸻    

Welcome to Episode 14 of our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. Today's conversation features Chris Skaggs, sharing a host of delightful insights and endearing inspirations found in the life of Elrond.   Chris Skaggs is the Founder and Chief Operations Officer of Soma Games and Soma SoulWorks. Created in 2005, Soma Games fancies itself the “C.S. Lewis of video games” and strives to do the epithet honor by making artistically excellent games for people who may never go to church, but find themselves having fun while pondering eternal things. https://www.somagames.com/   Soma SoulWorks is the ministry side of Soma’s coin producing teaching and podcasts that seek to reach young adult “creatives” especially those working in arts and entertainment including the Imladris Community of professional game makers who practice The Way.   Chris is an Intel Black Belt recipient and frequent speaker at mobile and game-developer conferences, including GDC (Game Developer Conference), CGDC (Christian Game Developers Conference), Casual Connect, Serious Play, and Intel Innovators Forum.   ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: ⁠https://X.com/derekholser⁠ 📱 TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser⁠ 📸 Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/⁠ 📘 Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/derekholser⁠ 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/5fvuubyn  

Welcome to Episode Twelve in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series! This episode is a delightful defense of the glory and goodness found in that great wizard, Gandalf.        Today's conversation features Rev'd Canon Dr Alison Milbank. Alison is a British Anglican Priest, who served as Canon Theologian of Southwell Minster and is Professor Emeritus of Theology and Literature at the University of Nottingham. Over the years, Dr. Milbank was the John Rylands Research Institute Fellow at the University of Manchester, and held lectureships at Cambridge and the University of Middlesex. She also taught in the English department at the University of Virginia.       Her research covers many aspects of religion and culture, as well as imaginative apologetics and the ecclesiology and practice of the Church of England. Her writings include:     The Once and Future Parish (2023):  https://tinyurl.com/36875xpt     Chesterton and Tolkien as Theologians (2009): https://tinyurl.com/ww4rd3uu     Dante and the Victorians (2009): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dante-and-the-victorians-alison-milbank/1003049988         ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter/X: https://X.com/derekholser Substack: https://substack.com/@derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Grab it on Amazon: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/Tambika-Shield-Wisdom-Lightglider-Origins/dp/1645075486  

Welcome to our Advent interlude, as we take a one-episode hiatus from our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. I was recently in Nashville and took the opportunity to record with the incomparable Jordan Daniel Wood.        In this episode, Jordan and I discuss The Implications of the Incarnation. Listen to the very end (or fast forward to the 1:15 mark for Jordan's brilliant expository take on Dickens' The Christmas Carol).         Jordan Daniel Wood is Assistant Professor of Theology at Belmont University. He holds an M.A. from St. Louis University and a Ph.D. from Boston College, both in Historical Theology. His interests range from Greek patristic theology to modern philosophy, especially Idealism. He is married to Alexis, a registered nurse, with whom he has four wonderful daughters.          Jordan is the author of the much-acclaimed The Whole Mystery of Christ: Creation as Incarnation in Maximus Confessor, available here: https://tinyurl.com/3k8xshj5          Jordan also posts regularly on his Substack, "Words in Flesh" https://jordandanielwood.substack.com/         ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser Substack: https://substack.com/@derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tambika-Shield-Wisdom-Lightglider-Origins/dp/1645075486        

Welcome to Episode Eleven in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series.        Today's conversation features Brenton Dickieson. Brenton is a returning guest and a great friend. In this episode, we discuss the beloved and heroic Samwise Gamgee.       Brenton is a father, husband, friend, university lecturer, and freelance writer from Prince Edward Island, Canada. You can follow him on X, @BrentonDana:   https://x.com/BrentonDana       As the author of more than 1,100 articles, blog posts, and reviews, Brenton has worked as a freelance author, columnist, and policy writer for Canadian magazines and the government of Prince Edward Island. As a theologian of literature, Brenton writes the popular website, A Pilgrim in Narnia, which explores the intersections of faith, fantasy, and fiction.       With more than 1.1 million website hits and a yearly readership now exceeding 200,000, more than 8,000 social media followers, and significant networks within the scholarly and readerly worlds of C.S. Lewis and the Inklings, Brenton has a powerful platform for considering the literary, spiritual, and theological interest of some of our most famous world-builders, including C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, L.M. Montgomery, and others.       https://apilgriminnarnia.com/about/       ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/6m58wjmy

Welcome to Episode Ten in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters Series.        Joining me today is Taylor Crandall. Taylor is a thoughtful and insightful Tolkien aficionado, and she brings a clearly illuminated perspective to the character Eärendil, the half-Elven mariner depicted in The Silmarillion.  We hope you enjoy this engaging discussion on the life and adventures, the meaning and the magnificence of the "Star of Middle-Earth."       ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/6m58wjmy  

Welcome to Episode Nine of Tolkien's Greatest Characters.        Joining me for today's fabulous conversation on the shieldmaiden of Rohan, the ever-inspiring Éowyn, is Holly Ordway. Among the many riveting aspects of this discussion, Holly provides meaningful insight about Tolkien's deft nuance in character development and his accurate yet noble portrayal of the human condition. We also discuss Éowyn's heroic moments (seen and unseen) and Éowyn's love for Aragorn and ultimately, her love for Faramir.        Holly Ordway is the Cardinal Francis George Professor of Faith and Culture at the Word on Fire Institute, and Visiting Professor of Apologetics at Houston Christian University. She holds a PhD in English from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and is a subject editor for the Journal of Inklings Studies.        Holly is the author of the award-winning Tolkien's Modern Reading: Middle-earth Beyond the Middle Ages, and her book Tolkien's Faith: A Spiritual Biography was released in 2023, the year that marked the 50th anniversary of Tolkien's death.       Check out that book here: https://tinyurl.com/eh4d6wy3     To learn more about Holly: https://hollyordway.com/       ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tambika-Shield-Wisdom-Lightglider-Origins/dp/1645075486  

Welcome to Episode Eight in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters Series.        Today's episode features Eugene Terekhin. Eugene is a philologist, philosopher, translator, as well as the author of Elven Hidden Gems and the Works of the Inklings, The Music of Illuvatar in the Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Owen Barfield.     Check out Eugene's Substack: https://substack.com/@eugeneterekhin         Eugene and I discuss Treebeard and the life of the Ents, fascinating creatures and symbols in the work of Tolkien's sub-creation of Middle-earth. As always, Eugene displays his winsome wit and well-earned wisdom. I know you're going to love this conversation; feel free to forward it to friends!       ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tambika-Shield-Wisdom-Lightglider-Origins/dp/1645075486    

Welcome to our Halloween interlude, as we take a one-episode hiatus from our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. I was recently in Nashville and took the opportunity to record with the incomparable Jordan Daniel Wood.        In this episode, Jordan and I discuss George MacDonald's essay "The Imagination: Its Function and Culture," explore the meaning and magic of wearing masks, and the nature of identity and reality — and, as always, we add a dash of hope and a bit of Maximus.        Jordan Daniel Wood is Assistant Professor of Theology at Belmont University. He holds an M.A. from St. Louis University and a Ph.D. from Boston College, both in Historical Theology. His interests range from Greek patristic theology to modern philosophy, especially Idealism. He is married to Alexis, a registered nurse, with whom he has four wonderful daughters.        Jordan is the author of the much-acclaimed The Whole Mystery of Christ: Creation as Incarnation in Maximus Confessor, available here: https://tinyurl.com/3k8xshj5        Jordan also posts regularly on his Substack, "Words in Flesh" https://jordandanielwood.substack.com/         ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser Substack: https://substack.com/@derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tambika-Shield-Wisdom-Lightglider-Origins/dp/1645075486        

Welcome to Episode Seven in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters series. Today's conversation is enlightening and uplifting, a discussion of the whimsical and winsome Tom Bombadil.        Joining me today is Brian Zahnd. Brian is the founding pastor of Word of Life Church  in St. Joseph, Missouri. He is the author of twelve books; most recently the forthcoming "Unseen Existences: Of Heaven, Earth, and the Divine Mystery in All Things".     https://substack.com/@brianzahnd         ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tambika-Shield-Wisdom-Lightglider-Origins/dp/1645075486

Welcome to Episode Six in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters Series. Today's conversation is an inspired yearning for the true nobility within it us all. Today's conversation features the king-to-be, Aragorn.       Today's guest is Robert Hulett. Robert is a former student of mine and a long-time friend. He and his wife Jessica have three children and re in the throes of the typical myteries and meanderings of young parents.        Robert is a writer, an astute judge of cultural dynamics, and is a passionate defender of the pursuit of a godly life. He seeks to emulate Aragorn and believes that the example held out for us all in the character of the king-to-be provides humanity with a glimpse of our potential.        ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tambika-Shield-Wisdom-Lightglider-Origins/dp/1645075486/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1OIRH7724MLSI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.1LykaLPN_bJOY9iKTBBd4w.OQhIet5VaMC5HXCQlUnEDu0SVNhOnRyROyBhz6sKHqY&dib_tag=se&keywords=tambika+shield+wisdom&qid=1760676103&sprefix=tambika+%2Caps%2C241&sr=8-1  

Welcome to Episode Five in our Tolkien's Greatest Characters Series. Today's conversation is a wide-ranging one, featuring the hobbit prince, Pippin.        Today's guest is Bradley J. Birzer. Brad is the Russell Amos Kirk Chair in American Studies and Professor of History, Hillsdale College. He loves his family, his college, western civilization, American history, the American west, biography, photography, and progressive rock music.        In addition to Pippin, Bradley and I discuss American history, western civilization, heroic deeds, and the marvel of Tolkien's universe.        Brad publishes at Substack: https://substack.com/@bradleyjbirzer       He is the author of two Tolkien-related books:    J.R.R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth: Understanding Middle Earth https://tinyurl.com/4wu6crmy       Tolkien and the Inklings: Men of the West https://tinyurl.com/dsatzyy4         ⸻ 📲 Connect with Derek Holser: 🐦 Twitter / X: https://X.com/derekholser 📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@derekholser 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theplungewithderekholser/ 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/derekholser 📚 New Book! Lightgliders ➡ Grab it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tambika-Shield-Wisdom-Lightglider-Origins/dp/1645075486 ⸻