The story of Tuor, his journeys, his encounter with Ulmo, his entrance into Gondolin, the description of Gondolin, and the ensuing story as told in UT has long been one of my favorites. As much as I enjoy the language of the story of Turin, I don't like it much at all. It is, essentially, rather depressing, and I prefer a story with a happy ending, as cliched as that may be. (Though the fact that Gondolin falls is not very happy.)
About Americans vs. British mentalities, as a whole, Americans demand happy endings. Of all the movies that have come out recently, how many have not ended happily? I don't know about currently, but the European (and Asian) mindset has been much different in the past. Take "A Tale of Two Cities" and "The Prisoner of Zenda." They are full of valiant deeds and end in a melancholy manner. (On the Asian side of it, take "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" as an example.) A happy ending is good, but not required.
I just had a thought about the happy stories, the bits of history that "are the empty pages in the history books." These empty pages are the reason for the full pages. Whether in LoTR or in real life, the great trials are gone through so that someone can live peacefully and happily. The Dunedain went though great trials so that the Shire could be ignorant and peaceful. Tolkien wrote a huge book about a terrible struggle to destroy a Ring, but the reason for the destruction of that Ring was the ensuing joy and peace of Middle-earth. That joy and peace is summed up in two or three chapters while the struggle goes on for nearly a thousand pages, but peace, happiness, joy, "the empty pages" are the whole point. The full pages are a very visible backdrop to an invisible but glorious drama.
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Then came there from the south of the city the people of the Fountain, and Ecthelion was their lord, and silver and diamonds were their delight; and swords very long and bright and pale did they wield . . .
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