Catcher In The Why
I was just reading an article about J.D. Salinger’s passing (Jan. 27th). He is famous for not wanting to be famous and living the majority of his life in exile no longer publicly writing. Books have been written by Ex-Lovers and his Daughter that don’t paint him in a very good light, and I’m sure it’s all true… But it doesn’t negate that he wrote the hugely influential Catcher In The Rye (which to date has sold over 60 million copies).
I am not alone in being inspired by that book, I could site endless references in television, film and music. For my college screen adaptation class I chose it to adapt… Which was a stupid idea on my part ( Heck, I was young), no one is going to do it justice, no version will live up to the original. (I got a B, I recently found it and re-read what I wrote… I’d give it a C).
There was just something about Holden, I related to him when I first read it… And every time I have opened it’s pages since then (this might be the first time since I was 13 that I don’t own a copy!) I remember thinking about it as I sat in the waiting room at the hospital, checking my self in for a mental evaluation. I was older than Holden when I unraveled, but again I related to him.
Would I have loved to meet J.D. Salinger… Yes. Do I think he would have lived up to my expectations… Not a chance. You are not always who or what you create, some of the greatest, emotionally inspired works can come from people void of the qualities they express… But I don’t believe that devalues the art, because it’s true value is in the response it evokes.
There are rumors that there may be a vault full of unpublished works by J.D. that may be realized posthumously… Could they be as great or greater than Catcher? Maybe, maybe not… but that too won’t change the impact that it has had on so many, present company included.
Tags: Catcher In The Rye, Holden, J.D. Salinger
February 8th, 2010 at 10:43 pm
Loved Catcher in the Rye, I chose that book and Salinger as an author for a few projects in my life.
I hope Salinger does have books, color coded on shelves as they say, waiting for publishing, some already edited. I would love to read whatever else could come from that mind of his.
I have also heard that Catcher was somewhat autobiographical.
He never wanted anybody to make a movie, but I would love to see one, though I am sure it would disappoint. (as most movies from favorite books do).
Holden Caulfield was an amazing character, I feel like I knew him, grew up with him. I was surprised by how many of my former classmates never read it, even though it was on that list of books to have read before entering college.
February 8th, 2010 at 11:05 pm
That would be exciting to have all these writings. I just hope that he wanted them to be released. Sometimes when I am in a museum and they are showing sketches by Picasso or whomever, I wonder did they want this sketch to be seen by all these people? Or were they just jotting down ideas and now it’s on display?
February 8th, 2010 at 11:06 pm
P.S. That above is Angela Channel. I tried to logout as admin, but it was giving me trouble.
February 9th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
I came across this article last week and thought it was interesting… Dear Jerry, You Old Bastard
http://www.slate.com/id/2243299/
February 9th, 2010 at 9:29 pm
I read somewhere, can’t remember where, that he had shelves of unpublished work and had color coded and labeled the manuscripts with codes, for example, blue sticker meant, publish, already edited, another color meant publish, needs editing, and another might mean not to publish. I hope its true so that his work can be released as he saw fit. He set up this system for be put into place after his death, so I suppose we may be hearing something someday soon.