Why do you think LOTR appeals to so many people?

I don't think there are any requirements when reading The Lord of the Rings. I think to read any book, you would need imagination and an open mind. Whether or not the reader will enjoy LotR depends on that particular readers tastes.

The Lord of the Rings appeals to me because of the depth of the story. Tolkien didn't build his mythology around his plot but his plot around his mythology and I think that's important. One can tell that he wrote TLOTR because he wanted to write a tale (as opposed to making money).

Middle-earth is so richly described that one can feel as if they are deep in Shelob's lair along with Frodo and Sam or wandering deep in Lothlorien. Well, anyway, that's just me.

I think that it is indeed an escape from reality for some people. For others it's the depth and some people simply get this feeling of being swept away by the the story.

I hope that made sense. *sweatdrop*