Ringers “Lord of the fans”

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by MatthewM

William - I have read these quotes before. What does everybody think Tolkien meant that "young Americans are involved in the stories in a way I am not"? That's kind of odd and I don't rightfully understand what he means by it. Does he mean the whole drug thing associated with the hippy movement?

Answers?

Good question. I think he means the way that they created a 'cult' and basically acted like fanboys, wandering about wearing cloaks and pretending to be Gandalf.

He'd have a fit these days

Though I don't think he would have approved too much of the linking of his work with the less savoury aspects of the hippy years, and even though I'm a music fan, I'm not sure he'd have thought that much of Led Zep!

Does anyone else think he was a little uncharitable towards his American fans? Or was it just the grumbling of an aging man?