Tolkien what a guy what a life!

[The Saucepan Man]

But since he wanted to have a normal life he decided to stay in the background, stay very private, and let his works speak for themselves.

That is very true, Gorwingel. And, if he were alive today and still writing, I am sure that he would hate the intense publicity that he would attract as the author of such popular works (not to mention that generated by the films).

But times have moved on, of course, and it goes with the territory nowadays. Imagine the lengths that he would have to go to to avoid the kind of magazine and television interviews that JK Rowling gives out as a matter of course (not that she is complaining, I am sure [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] ).