I mayself read the Hobbit at 5, FotR at 7 and then, in true little kid style, forgot LotR ever existed. When I heard about the movies, I figured 'Hey, a book I haven't read!' and went and bought it, reaslized I had read it, and then noticed there were 2
other books after FotR.
Now I am the school expert on Tolkien and LotR (even the teachers ask me about it) and the new kids at school are told 'Here's the library, you see that girl over there? She's the crazy LotR chick! If you want to know something, ask her.'
However, just before RotK came out (I hadn't told anyone what was going to happen in the next movies. My excuse 'I don't know what they're changing or leaving out, so I won't tell, I'll explain after though.') I got fed up with getting asked the same questions over, and over again. 'Is anyone going to die?' 'Well, Merry and Pippin die in Minas Tirith, and when Aragorn dies they are buried with him. Frodo, Sam, Legolas, Gimli and Gandalf leave Middle-earth...' not telling them
when of course.
But finally I got irritated with 'So is Frodo going to die?' and ended up telling them that Sam sees frodo get
killed by a giant spider.
You should have heard the tears at the cinema
Cruel, I know, but it had to be done.