David, Lisa, and Bryan are joined by Tolkien scholar Marilyn R. Pukkila for a special episode exploring the meaning behind the podcast's name and the deep cultural associations between the West and human mortality. The conversation traces how civilizations from the ancient Egyptians and Greeks t...

At long last, the original Dune novel breakdown series begins in earnest! Following up on their episode about the author Frank Herbert and creation of the book, this episode dives into the beginning of the story itself: After an opening discussion of the significance and nuance of the overall story ...

Is that episode title just a joke? Mark definitely wishes it was. In this week’s Sidetrack, our hosts give their lists of songs that get the waterworks flowing. Join us for some really awesome music and some major over-sharing! See you next week for a regular, sob-free episode! Music heard in this e...