Origins of The Wheel of Time, Michael Livingston
Origins of The Wheel of Time, Michael Livingston
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Origins of The Wheel of Time
The Legends and Mythologies that Inspired Robert Jordan

Author: Michael Livingston

Narrator: Harriet McDougal, Kate Reading, Michael Kramer, Michael Livingston

Unabridged: 9 hr 35 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/08/2022

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included


Synopsis

This program includes a bonus interview with Rosamund Pike.

“Jordan has come to dominate the world Tolkien began to reveal.” —The New York Times on The Wheel of Time® series

Explore never-before-seen insights into the Wheel of Time, including:

—An alternate scene from an early draft of The Eye of the World
—The long-awaited backstory of Nakomi

Take a deep dive into the real-world history and mythology that inspired the world of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time®. Origins of The Wheel of Time is written by Michael Livingston, Secretary-General of the United States Commission on Military History and professor of medieval literature at The Citadel, with a Foreword by Harriet McDougal, Robert Jordan's editor, widow, and executor of his estate.

This companion to the internationally bestselling series will delve into the creation of Robert Jordan’s masterpiece, drawing from interviews and an unprecedented examination of his unpublished notes. Michael Livingston tells the behind-the-scenes story of who Jordan was, how he worked, and why he holds such an important place in modern literature.

The second part of the book is a glossary to the “real world” in The Wheel of Time. King Arthur is in The Wheel of Time. Merlin, too. But so are Alexander the Great and the Apollo Space Program, the Norse gods and Napoleon’s greatest defeat—and so much more.

Origins of The Wheel of Time will provide exciting knowledge and insights to both new and longtime fans looking to either expand their understanding of the series or unearth the real-life influences that Jordan utilized in his world building—all in one, accessible audiobook.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.

About Michael Livingston

Michael Livingston, PhD. is the foremost academic interpreter of Robert Jordan's literary accomplishment and legacy. Among his many other books are the Shards of Heaven trilogy of novels (published by Tor) and multiple award-winning studies of military history. At present, he serves as the Secretary-General for the United States Commission on Military History and teaches at The Citadel.

About Harriet McDougal

HARRIET MCDOUGAL is the former VP, Editorial Director of Tor Publishing Group, and was Robert Jordan's wife and editor. She selected Brandon Sanderson to complete The Wheel of Time® series after Jordan's untimely death, and was his editor as well. She is the main editor behind Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time Companion.

About Robert Jordan

ROBERT JORDAN (1948-2007) is best known for his internationally bestselling epic fantasy series The Wheel of Time®, which has sold over 100 million copies worldwide and is currently being adapted for the screen. A native of Charleston, Jordan graduated from The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, with a degree in physics. He served two tours in Vietnam with the U.S. Army and received multiple decorations for his service.

About Kate Reading

Kate Reading is the recipient of multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards and has been named by AudioFile magazine as a “Voice of the Century,” as well as the Best Voice in Science Fiction & Fantasy in 2008 and 2009 and Best Voice in Biography & Culture in 2010. She has narrated works by such authors as Jane Austen, Robert Jordan, Edith Wharton, and Sophie Kinsella. Reading has performed at numerous theaters in Washington D.C. and received a Helen Hayes Award for her performance in Aunt Dan and Lemon. AudioFile magazine reports that, "With subtle control of characters and sense of pacing, Kate’s performances are a consistent pleasure."

About Michael Kramer

Michael Kramer has narrated over 100 audiobooks for many bestselling authors. He read all of Robert Jordan’s epic Wheel of Time fantasy-adventure series as well as Brandon Sanderson’s The Stormlight Archive series. He received AudioFile magazine's Earphones Award for the Kent Family series by John Jakes and for Alan Fulsom's The Day After Tomorrow. Known for his “spot-on character portraits and accents, and his resonant, well-tempered voice” (AudioFile), his work includes recording books for the Library of Congress’s Talking Books program for the blind and physically handicapped.Kramer also works as an actor in the Washington, D.C. area, where he lives with his wife, Jennifer Mendenhall (a.k.a. Kate Reading), and their two children. He has appeared as Lord Rivers in Richard III at The Shakespeare Theatre, Howie/Merlin in The Kennedy Center’s production of The Light of Excalibur, Sam Riggs and Frederick Savage in Woody Allen’s Central Park West/Riverside Drive, and Dr. Qari Shah in Tony Kushner’s Homebody/Kabul at Theatre J.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Mike on December 02, 2022

Let me start by saying that I love the Wheel of Time. I am not the same level of fan as some readers--I've only read the entire series once, after all--but I have enjoyed the tv show, listen to several weekly podcasts about the world, and own all of the official books and related materials. As a tee......more

Goodreads review by L'encre de la magie on December 04, 2023

Bouffé en 24h Avis Lecture 🧐📖 "Origins of The Wheel of Time : The Legends and Mythologies that inspired Robert Jordan", par Michael Livingston ☯️📜@thebrokennbinding Voilà un cadeau d'anniversaire qui n'aura pas traîné, d'autant plus que je l'ai bouffé en 24h 😅!  Michael Livingston est un grand fan de l......more

Goodreads review by Harley on November 01, 2022

A wonderful book for brains that want to know all the nitty-gritty details of where Jordan began his myths. I loved it. It makes me want a full fledged biography of Jim’s life.......more

Goodreads review by Scott on January 21, 2024

Having finished my 2-year read of Robert Jordan’s “Wheel of Time” series, I immediately followed it up by taking on this behind-the-scenes book of the series by college professor and uber-fan, Michael Livingston, who has spent years studying Robert Jordan’s work. Be forewarned - this is a short book.......more

Goodreads review by Ellie on December 01, 2023

An inspiring and interesting deep-dive into how Jordan created the amazing Wheel of Time series and world, which is my favourite fantasy world so far. This book just solidified to me how clever Randland is and the magic behind it all. Also, Robert Jordan's relationship with his wife Harriet is actua......more