The disputes around it made the Americans hear about it and when the Yanks get obsessed by something it's there to stay. By 1968 'The Lord of the Rings' had become nothing short of a Bible to the 'Alternative Nation'. Bands such as 'Led Zeppelin' had many songs which were inspired by 'Lord of the Rings' one way or another. He was to say the least, harassed by many fans coming to his house or calling him up not taking time zones in account so he had moved from his home and changed telephone numbers to avoid all the attention. He died in 1973 and was buried in Oxford together with his wife Edith.
Nothing is more true.
The question whether this creature had real or figurative wings has never been resolved by fans. It will be interesting to see how Peter Jackson handles this in the movies. By his son edited, version of Silmarillon was later also published. One of the first things that pops to mind is the incredible complexity and detail with which Tolkien described the world of Middle-Earth. Everything has been meticulously described even the smallest leaf falling from a tree.