Fingolfin's Findings: XLIII. The Tolkien-Gordon Collection

As you may know Tolkien did have his difficulties in getting things published. The reasons for this are up for discussion and those have been discussed quite extensively for decades now.

However, why he did manage to publish The Lord of the Rings, for example, has been eloquently explained by Diana Glyer in her The Company They Keep (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre): the people who supported him in these ventures like the Inklings.

One of the most unfortunate losses in Tolkien's life was certainly the person that helped him build a career: E.V. Gordon (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre).