 In an archived episode of the defunct Grounded podcast from 2021 that no longer shows up in podcast feeds, Representative Jim Banks of Indiana, who sat next to Vance in Trump's friends and family box at the convention, asked Vance to name his favorite author. I would have to say Tolkien, Vance said. I'm a big Lord of the Rings guy, and I think not realizing it at the time, but a lot of my conservative worldview was influenced by Tolkien growing up.