Tolkien: Stories are always about one thing

[Extollager]

Just to comment upon Tolkien's pronounciation.... As an educated fifty-seven year old American, who has lived in the Midwest/the South/the West Coast/the Great Plains (and Taiwan), I find myself comprehending about seven to eight words out of ten spoken by Tolkien. This really makes me doubt my education, my love of the English language, my ardor for Tolkien's works, and my respect for the man himself. How much of the meaning of Tolkien's English and stories am I missing?

No -- Tolkien was aware that he often didn't speak distinctly. And I've seen statements by people who had been his students or attendees at his lectures who were frustrated by his habits of speech. The fault lies mostly with Tolkien. He could speak very well, as the Caedmon recording of him reading his poems demonstrates. Too often he let himself trail off as he chased a tangent, etc. My admiration for Tolkien is enormous, even so.