Adam Wren recently reported for Politico that Trump's running mate, J.D. Vance, is a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy epic, The Lord of the Rings. This hour we talk to Wren about Vance's interest in the work, and the politics of the series.

Plus, we'll discuss Tolkien's fantasy world building, and look back on the books, their film adaptations, and their enduring appeal.

GUESTS:

• Adam Wren: National political correspondent for Politico

• John Garth: Author of The Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien: The Places that Inspired Middle-earth and Tolkien and the Great War, among other books

• Susana Polo: Senior entertainment writer for Polygon

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Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show, portions of which originally aired August 12, 2021.

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