[Holbytlass]

I have to ask myself which is harder, being an adult Tolkien fan or a teenage one. By the posts, I assume that the majority are young people (still in school). It must be hard being forced to be around classmates and even teachers who don't like Tolkien's work when they haven't tried to read the books. Or living with parents who don't understand and hope it's just a phase one is going through.
On the other hand, is it harder being a grown-up having to defend the position that, yes, it is fantasy genre, but it is not 'immature-baby stuff'? And if a teenager gets funny looks by saying something LotR-ish, wait till adulthood; when one is expected to be sooo mature and lay aside all things not realistic, and conform.
When FotR came out, a friend went and saw it (at that time we were both 28). she didn't really like it and said there was too much fighting. I suggested that she read the book. She snapped back that there were plenty of movies she liked that she didn't need to read the book. Fair enough, I thought, but how to explain to an unwilling listener that the book had so much more to offer? So I just said to her that if she felt that FotR had too much fighting, don't bother with the other two movies.
I ask this because I am 32, and only discovered the books 4 years ago. Oh, the wasted years!! Perhaps the best person to answer is one who liked it as a teenager but is now an adult.
**A bonus for the teenagers, you might get off easier when doing something criminalthan an adult would. So throw in an extra kick for me!!

P.S to The KA: I fall into the #2 category, love Tolkien and appreciate other works in the genre. And also, is your avatar a picture of you?