I've actually never read Lord of the Rings, but I've been meaning to do it. I also never saw the movies, but not without trying, I always fell asleep during the first one, and it's not because I found it boring!
I could read before kindergarten but I don't remember actually learning. I was also able to read musical fairly basically. A lot of people thought because I had cerebral palsy and leg braces, that I was some sort of slow, but nope. I couldn't ride a bike or run around like a psycho, so I read books instead. I was especially sucked into reading when Harry Potter started making waves, then I found Anne McCaffrey books. Phew.