This week, Michael, Dan, and I discuss the first part of Tolkien's seminal essay "On Fairy Stories", where Tolkien defines what a fairy (aka fantasy) story is.

Why is this important? Well, the "fairy tale" in Tolkien's era was relegated to simple children's fiction, something adults grew out of along with their innocence and naiveté. But to Tolkien, these stories that take place in the land of Faërie contain more beauty and truths than any tale set in modern day environs.

In this essay Tolkien defines these stories by what they have, and what they are not, not precisely by what they ARE. And we even jump into whether Star Wars or Star Trek might match Tolkien's definition!

Then, join us in our extended episode (https://theonering.com/members) where we:

 	Discuss what our favorite fairy story is (other than LOTR)
 	Try and figure out what the best fairy story of the last 2 decades is (or if there even IS one!)



Is Star Wars a Fairy Story? – On Fairy Stories, Part 1

Exploring Tolkien is a weekly show that dives deep into JRR Tolkien and all the ages of Middle-earth.  Jonathan Watson and Michael Grumbine are your hosts as they read through Tolkien’s works, interview other Tolkien enthusiasts and authors, and critically examine how Tolkien’s world is being treated by mega-corporations like Amazon.com and Warner Bros.

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Is Star Wars a Fairy Story? – On Fairy Stories, Part 1

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