I really don't understand why they call him the "American Tolkien" while I have enjoyed what I've read so far I disagree.
I had this discussion with a friend of mine, who is a huge proponent of respecting women as partners and teaches such with his personal work. CB said, "It's like Tolkien without the magic" and my response was, " At least the few women in LOTR didn't get smacked around all the time". Funny, he hadn't considered it in that light before.