J. D. Salinger 1919-2010



When a great writer dies, the most respectful response is surely to plug their merchandise. So if you haven't read The Catcher in the Rye yet, I advise you to get on with it before his estate allows some idiot to make a phony film adaptation.

It's one of my favourite books of all time, perhaps only bettered by a certain other book with 'catch' in the title. I particularly recommend it if you're a cynical adolescent, but cynical people of all ages will find plenty to admire. Plus it's still one of the most frequently banned books in America. What higher recommendation can there be?

I have to admit I've never got round to reading any of Salinger's other books. Partly it's because I'm scared they won't be as good as Catcher. If you've read any of them, let me know how they rate.

Comments

  1. Chemie31 January 2010 at 11:38

    You might not want to look on the BBC Have-Your-Say comments about Salinger. It appears right wing whingers don't like 'im.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tomsk31 January 2010 at 19:07

    If it gets the Have-Your-Say mob frothing at the mouth then it must be doing something right. Though most of the negative comments are from people who've been forced to read it at school, which is guaranteed to destroy the enjoyment of any book.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jamie2 February 2010 at 10:12

    I'm sorry to say, I found Catcher exceedingly dull and aimless, and entirely overrated. Agree with you about (I assume) Heller though; my favourite novel of all time.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Tomsk2 February 2010 at 21:49

    For me the aimlessness was one of the most appealing aspects of the book. It reflected perfectly Holden's character, just like every other aspect of the writing. I've never come across another book that allows you to view the world so convincingly through someone else's eyes.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jamie5 February 2010 at 16:14

    I suppose it is actively trying (and succeeding) in epitomising aimlessness, but then reading about that is not something that particularly interests me, whether or not it's done well. And I have no particular problem with the writing itself, I suppose it was just the subject matter that bored me rigid. Maybe I would have felt differently if I was a teenager at the time, I don't know...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Tomsk5 February 2010 at 18:51

    I didn't read it as a teenager either so I couldn't say. I'm also not much of a cynic so it was a little presumptuous of me to claim that cynical adolescents would like it. They're probably just as likely to reject it in a Holdenesque blow against adult opinion.

    ReplyDelete

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