I don't have as vivid a recollection of "my first time" as some, but I reckon I qualify. I ran into Tolkien somewhere along about '81 or '82. My uncle became aware of my interest in sci-fi and fantasy roleplaying games, and turned me on to the prof. I still have the old Ballantine paperbacks he gave me, though they're yellowed and falling to tatters now. They have the same commentary about unauthorized editions that Esty mentioned. I recently acquired a nice hardback all-in-one volume.
I got The Silmarillion fairly soon after its original release, but could never get into it. Only within recent years did I finally go back and tackle it.
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