Re: R.I.P. JD Salinger

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I still refuse to read A Catcher In the Rye until after Mark David Chapman dies. He killed John Lennon to encourage people to read it and I won't give him the satisfaction.

Although I guess I've never let Hinkley stop me from watching Taxi Driver, so I suppose I can review this policy. Ain't the book's fault, after all.



Post Edited (01-28-10 13:59)

I read Catcher in the Rye when I was 14 (3-1/2 yrs. after Chapman killed Lennon). I did not read it with Mark David Chapman or John Lennon in mind, however. I was devastated by the time I finished it.

I went on to devour Franny and Zooey, Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Nine Stories in quick succession, and loved these, too.

In subsequent years, I've considered picking up Salinger again, but never have...I'm afraid the quality of his writing won't measure up to my memories of it.

I suspect few would enjoy the type of life Salinger ended up having–what did he do the last 50 years?–but his impact is/was huge.

He apparently had an affair with the woman who wrote To Die For, as she subsequently wrote a tell-all concerning it. So that was part of what (or at least who) he did for the last 50 years.

Here you go:

[www.theonion.com]

I guess it's a worthy literary goal:

Become famous enough that The Onion mocks your work in your death notice.

Reminds me of that "Bad Hemingway" competition (which seems almost too easy) and that Bulwar-Lytton website (which is pure genius, in my opinion).

...

It's too bad that Chapman decided to have a copy of Salinger's book in his pocket when he murdered Lennon. How weird would it have been if it'd been a Bible instead? Or The Joy Of Cooking? Pbbbt!

Why hasn't someone shanked that loser already?

Franny and Zooey, Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Nine Stories are my favorite books. It's not like he will be missed, but maybe some stuff will get published that he was holding on to. He certainly is my favorite writer.

How can you tell Salinger's dead?

Cause Pynchon's out partying.

the one thing that WILL stand up is the quality of the writing

i think F&Z are masterpieces with esme and banana fishing two of america's greatest stories

catcher is OK

I'm with Baker on this...except that I reread Catcher a few years ago and it was alot better than I remembered it. It deserves the rep and accolades.

Did anyone read that Pynchon novel from last year? I soured on him after Mason Dixon about 10 years back. Would be curious if the new one is any good.