[fire and forget]

Thanks. Never delved into Tolkien's works outside the Hobbit, LOTR and the Silmarillian, and I've read only the LOTR in the past 17 years (after the movie in fact). Tolkien was a great and passionate man. The passion is obvious. The greatness derives from his ability to impart his passion on to so many others.

Tolkien forever! Greatest representative of humanity the 20th Century produced. And given the self-sacrifice, invention and foresight of so many of the past century, this says alot (albeit, it's only my humble opinion).

[Overtaxed]

Thanks. Never delved into Tolkien's works outside the Hobbit, LOTR and the Silmarillian...

You're welcome! I'm most familiar with LOTR, then The Hobbit (which I've only read once). I've read the Silmarillian once but I don't remember much from that. This thread is giving me a great chance to get into all the background stuff...of both Middle Earth and Tolkien. I've got Letters that I've read bits of (of which I've read bits?) So I'm slowly fitting all the background and story parts together!