'Catcher in the Rye' author J.D. Salinger dies

[jefferson_dem]

Source: AP

'Catcher in the Rye' author J.D. Salinger dies
By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer

NEW YORK—"Catcher in the Rye" author J.D. Salinger has died at age 91 in New Hampshire.

The author's son, in a statement from the author's literary representative, says Salinger died of natural causes at his home. He had lived for decades in self-imposed isolation in the small, remote house in Cornish, N.H.

"The Catcher in the Rye" with its immortal teenage protagonist—the twisted, rebellious Holden Caulfield—came out in 1951 during the time of anxious, Cold War conformity.

Salinger wrote for adults, but teenagers all over the world identified with the novel's themes of alienation, innocence and fantasy.

In later years, Salinger become famous for not wanting to be famous, refusing interviews.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14286750

[OneGrassRoot]

1. Salinger, Zinn......sad day. :( n/t

[BunkerHill24]

22. reading your post had me thinking the eerie superstition that death comes in threes....

'Nuff bad news already.

[gmoney]

49. Well the "spirit guide" lady from the Poltergeist movie just died. Would she count a the third?

Or maybe Purnell Roberts?

[Heddi]

2. Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[LoKnLoD]

3. My favorite book

My favorite book when I was 16, I need to read it again along with On the Road. Be interesting to see my change in perspective 30 years later. Rest in Peace J.D.

[maddezmom]

4. very sad

'Catcher in the Rye' Author J.D. Salinger Dies
J.D. Salinger, author of 'Catcher in the Rye,' dies at age 91
By HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer
NEW YORK January 28, 2010 (AP) The Associated Press
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J.D. Salinger, the legendary author, youth hero and fugitive from fame whose "The Catcher in the Rye" shocked and inspired a world he increasingly shunned, has died. He was 91.

Salinger died of natural causes at his home on Wednesday, the author's son said in a statement from Salinger's literary representative. He had lived for decades in self-imposed isolation in the small, remote house in Cornish, N.H.

"The Catcher in the Rye," with its immortal teenage protagonist, the twisted, rebellious Holden Caulfield, came out in 1951, a time of anxious, Cold War conformity and the dawn of modern adolescence. The Book-of-the-Month Club, which made "Catcher" a featured selection, advised that for "anyone who has ever brought up a son" the novel will be "a source of wonder and delight — and concern."

Enraged by all the "phonies" who make "me so depressed I go crazy," Holden soon became American literature's most famous anti-hero since Huckleberry Finn. The novel's sales are astonishing — more than 60 million copies worldwide — and its impact incalculable. Decades after publication, the book remains a defining expression of that most American of dreams — to never grow up.

more:http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=9688535

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Oh geez...

It's like a great passing of powerful notables this past year.

R.I.P.

[edbermac]

6. RIP

[R Hickey]

80. He looks alot like California Congressman Darrell Issa

.

[skypilot]

81. I think he looks a bit...

...like a young Al Pacino.

RIP.

[demoleft]

7. ciao jd. n/t

[Jefferson23]

8. A great contributor to this world, may you RIP dear man.

[defendandprotect]

9. One of my favorite books --

[Lautremont]

10. Raise high the roof beams, carpenter.

[edbermac]

11. From WaPo: 15 unpublished books?

"In 1997, it was announced that "Hapworth" would be reissued as a book - prompting a (negative) New York Times review. The book, in typical Salinger style, didn't appear. In 1999, New Hampshire neighbor Jerry Burt said the author had told him years earlier that he had written at least 15 unpublished books kept locked in a safe at his home."

God, I hope he made provisions to have them published after his death, not to be consigned to a nearby stove.

[harun]

12. One of my favorite books as well. Too bad he was so reclusive. RIP.

[BrklynLiberal]

13. wow. 91. His existence was almost mythological..

[Ghost of Tom Joad]

14. RIP

Curious if they will be able to make a film of Catcher in the Rye now.

[Solly Mack]

15. RIP

:(

[Cant trust em]

16. I love this book. It is a part of me. nt

[LTR]

17. He died five years ago, they just found the body

Sorry, just a slight jab at his reclusiveness. "Catcher In The Rye" is perhaps my all-time favorite book.

[Phoonzang]

18. People are dropping like flies today. nt

[ellie]

19. RIP J.D.

[Libertas1776]

20. I guess he ain't gonna be a guest

on the Colbert Report any time soon.

[onehandle]

21. John Lennon's killer read a copy after shooting five hollow point bullets into Lennon's back.

The .38 revolver wielding legal gun owner was obsessed with the book.

[jmondine]

63. And Charles Manson liked the White Album...so what?

[NeoConsSuck]

69. I think he read a copy

before shooting Lennnon. Maybe I misunderstood your post.

[lib_wit_it]

75. Yeah, and that so totally sucks. He was mentally ill, and I wish I could be more forgiving in light

of that, but but I still hate that motherfucker for the murder and for associating one of my favorite books ever with his heinous act.

[bluestateguy]

23. Now we are going to find out if this secret vault of Salinger writings exists

Allegedly he had this huge vault of unpublished, unseen writings with instructions to publish them after his death.

[WriteDown]

25. I'm hoping there are some more movie reviews in there. nt

[gmoney]

31. Sad news, but should make for interesting reading.

Read an interesting book when I was in college about Salinger's "Glass Stories" as a Composite Novel. Did a nice job of putting all the pieces together, including Catcher (purportedly written by one of the Glass family). Pricey to buy, but you might find one in a library someplace. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0878752439/amzng-20/

That book also talked a bit about Salinger's activities since "retirement" and how he'd supposedly written many stories. I look forward to their release, although I doubt he'll have authorized any movies to be made of them.

[vssmith]

83. I hope they never make a movie based on that book

Hollywood almost always fuck up a good book.

[WriteDown]

24. I really liked his comments on Terminator Salvation

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/new_terminator_movie_brings_j_d

[Zomby Woof]

26. One of the most overrated authors of the 20th century

His fans bestowed the mantle of "genius" on him because he captured quite concisely their self-absorption, arrested development, and overwrought teen angst in print. Holed up like the bastard son of Howard Hughes and Greta Garbo, they ascribe an unearned mythical aura to him, when in reality, he was a one-hit wonder who stayed in hiding because he knew he would never match the fluke of "Rye" again and better avoid any publicity so that he could more successfuly deflect expectations. It worked. No one expected any thing of him in nearly 60 years, so his 'legacy' remained intact. It is my hope that English departments everywhere can quietly retire "Rye" from their curriculums.

[DavidDvorkin]

34. He wasn't a hack, as that term is usually used. He was

just a bizarrely overrated crappy writer.

[Zomby Woof]

45. Point taken

Correction made.

[Tesha]

40. Jealous, huh? (NT)

[Zomby Woof]

44. How so?

Whenever someone's precious icon is questioned or criticized, charges of jealousy are made. Why is that? I love many acclaimed authors (Kesey, Vonnegut, etc.), and when they died, they had their detractors too. I disagreed with those detractors, but jealousy was the LAST thing that crossed my mind as to why they disliked the authors I happened to enjoy.

If that is seriously the best first rebuttal you've got, I won't be expecting a cogent second rebuttal.

[sudopod]

53. I've never read CITR

but it seems like SOMEONE here has got some sand in their shorts, lol.

"How you uh, how you comin' on that novel you're working on? Huh? Gotta a big, uh, big stack of papers there? Gotta, gotta nice litte story you're working on there? Your big novel you've been working on for 3 years? Huh? Gotta, gotta compelling protaganist? Yeah? Gotta obstacle for him to overcome? Huh? Gotta story brewing there? Working on, working on that for quite some time? Huh? (voice getting higher pitched) Yea, talking about that 3 years ago. Been working on that the whole time? Nice little narrative? Beginning, middle, and end? Some friends become enemies, some enemies become friends? At the end your main character is richer from the experience? Yeah? Yeah? (voice returns to normal) No, no, you deserve some time off. " --Stewie

[apocalypsehow]

59. When disruption is your only stock-in-trade, you play it every chance you get. And that poster you

are replying to fits that description to a "T".

[Zomby Woof]

61. LOL

I love Stewie.

What it really comes down to, is that the people who love "Rye" so much are the ones who are a lot like Holden, or think they are a lot like Holden (as this thread is bearing out). I have found this to be true for years, long before the internet. If you ever do read it, you may understand why a grain or two of sand crawled into my crack because of this thread. :D

[PatSeg]

46. I was beginning to wonder if I was the only one

I really tried to see the "genius" in his writing and could not find it. Maybe if I had read "Catcher" as a teenager, I might feel differently, but I seriously doubt it.

[RobinA]

54. Apparently You've Never Read

"Nine Stories" if you think "Catcher in the Rye" was a fluke. Arguably better than "Catcher" and having not much at all to do with "teen angst" or "arrested development." Sorry you didn't find enjoyment in his writing.

[last_texas_dem]

57. +1

[Zomby Woof]

62. At least you mentioned "Nine Stories"

I said he was a one-hit wonder, but will concede that like other one-hit wonders, they usually have better work than that one hit. However, saying that "Nine" is better than "Rye" is like saying jock itch is better than athlete's foot, subject matter aside. I have read it - but that error on your part aside, you get points for not dismissing me as being "jealous".

Everyone else in here is weeping over what a difference "Rye" made during their emo adolescence. Spare me, please.

[fishwax]

67. I tend to agree that Catcher is overrated, but he has some great short stories, particularly Franny

[lukasahero]

27. RIP, Mr. Salinger

You gave me many wonderful hours of escape in your stories.

[sasquatch]

28. That book sucked and its what gave us the neo-cons, neo-libs and the conservative movement

[Javaman]

30. um, okay...

:shrug:

[gmoney]

33. Uh, Sasquatch, it wasn't Ayn Rand who just died...

but I'm fascinated to hear how Holden Caulfield leads to Glenn Beck.

[DavidDvorkin]

32. I don't know about the politics, but the book certainly sucked.

[Name removed]

36. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Javaman]

51. Artfully critiqued.

:eyes:

[mike_c]

35. wtf?

Huh? Could you please elaborate? I presume you're talking about "Catcher in the Rye." What on Earth makes you think it was some sort of neocon manifesto or something?

[Javaman]

38. I think he maybe confusing it with atlas shrugged, or...

he's off his meds? :shrug:

[Warpy]

41. Or he's so blinded by dislike of an entire generation

that he doesn't realize a book that came out in 1951 wasn't aimed at the boomers. It was for the conservative generation before them.

[Javaman]

50. There is anger...

so creatively and oddly misplaced. LOL

It's like a time travel sort of anger.

[Zomby Woof]

48. Not sure it goes that far

But I will note that Dennis Miller named his son Holden because of his love for that character. Miller is a lot like Caufield: smarmy, juvenile, self-absorbed, not half as clever as he thinks he is, and in need of a good ass-kicking.

Not sure it spawned an entire set of ideologies (that's quite a stretch), but the book does have its share of right-wing fans and nutcases (Mark David Chapman, et al) on its side.

[last_texas_dem]

55. Oh yeah...

Remember that part when Holden is just sitting there critiquing Ackely's hygiene and then he randomly goes into a five page rant about the need for America to adopt an interventionist foreign policy and how waterboarding isn't actually torture?

:eyes:

[Javaman]

29. That one book did more to change my adolescent mentality than any other.

Thank you, Mr. Salinger. Rest in peace.

[WriteDown]

39. Is that when you became a neo-lib or neo-con....

:sarcasm:

Obviously referencing the madness upthread.

[callous taoboy]

82. likewise

[Warpy]

37. I actually met Holden Caulfield

He was working on a gubernatorial campaign as a volunteer. He was a little over six feet tall and as slick as they come. A friend went out with him a couple of times until he mentioned his parents had an eleven o'clock curfew.

She hit the panic button and did a little checking. He was fourteen years old.

I met the guy and would have thought him to be about eighteen or so. My friend thought he was over 21 like his driver's license said he was.

Like I said, he was as slick as they come.

Salinger was a pretty twisted character, too, but for that and his other books, RIP. None of us is perfect. Few of us manage to write great books.

[mike_c]

42. wow, what a great story....

:rofl:

[OnlinePoker]

43. Never read it

I don't know if it's a distinctly American book, but I never read it growing up here in Canada. The main book I remember everyone here had to read in high school was Lord of the Flies.

[Javaman]

52. Another brilliant book. nt

[alp227]

47. i read catcher back in sophomore year of high school. excellent work

man....i cant believe that JD Salinger and Howard Zinn both died the same day. such legends at their game.

[Hepburn]

56. Oh, no.....

...:cry:

[road2000]

58. RIP.

CITR was required reading in freshman English, so I was not prepared to love it as much as I did.

Has anyone else ever wondered if James Earl Jones's Terence Mann character in Field of Dreams was based on Salinger?

[salvorhardin]

64. It was

In the novel the film was based on (W.P. Kinsella's Shoeless Joe), Ray Kinsella goes searching for Salinger. Salinger has a short story "A Young Girl In 1941 With No Waist At All" that has a character named Ray Kinsella.

[road2000]

70. Thank you.

I've read a few excerpts from Shoeless Joe, but should have remembered... aging boomer forgetfulness, I suppose.

[apocalypsehow]

60. RIP, J.D. Salinger. n/t.

[change_notfinetuning]

65. My kids are in high school and I just read it last year for the first time. I don't

know what all of the hoopla is about. I can't imagine why anyone would want to ban it. I also think it was highly overrated. I was thinking maybe I was too old to appreciate its greatness, but your OP says Salinger wrote for adults. Oh well, if we all liked the same things, there'd be a lot fewer things.

[RobinA]

79. I'm Not Sure

it would still resonate with kids today the way it did to those of us who read it back at a time when the issues addressed were not so mainstream. The main reason it works for people is that a lot of us had no idea that other people (in this case the author/main character) had the same feelings we did. Also, it can be a good intro to getting kids to read literature because more kids can find something to identify with in it than they can with, say, "Return of the Native."

[change_notfinetuning]

84. If it gets kids to read books, then I'm all for it. I'm scared by the lack of

interest in reading books by today's youth. It doesn't bode well for the future, but then what does?

And BTW, to clarify, I didn't have a problem with it being assigned reading. I just didn't see any need to censor, or to fawn over what I consider a so-so read. I wonder what the effect of it would have been in an internet world, where things come and go so fast. Probably yesterday's news before today.

[mitchum]

66. Fuck

rest in peace

[fishwax]

68. RIP n/t

[FarCenter]

71. Had to read it in Freshman English

Can't recall much, except thinking that reading about Holden Caulfield was pretty uninteresting. What was his problem?

[Zomby Woof]

72. The Onion's precise obituary

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/bunch_of_phonies_mourn_j_d

[DavidDvorkin]

73. Perfect!

[NuttyFluffers]

76. that is pitch perfect! impressive tongue and cheek.

:rofl:

[bitchkitty]

78. My back just went into spasms, I laughed so hard:

"In this big dramatic production that didn't do anyone any good (and was pretty embarrassing, really, if you think about it), thousands upon thousands of phonies across the country mourned the death of author J.D. Salinger, who was 91 years old for crying out loud."

Satire aside, I loved that book, and the author. Salinger didn't write just for crazy right wingers. He wrote for me too, and I'm pretty freaking left for crying out loud! ;)

[Raine]

74. Never read it

but certainly know about it and how important it was, I just never got around to it. *sigh*

[Vidar]

77. RIP Mr. Salinger

[robcon]

85. The most overrated novel in history: "Catcher in the Rye"

n/t

[sdnewbie]

86. RIP

sleep tight you morans!!!