If a body should catch a body coming through the rye....
January 28, 2010 10:37 AM Subscribe
J.D. Salinger has passed away at 91 IF YOU REALLY WANT TO HEAR about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.
In the first place, that stuff bores me, and in the second place, my parents would have about two hemorrhages apiece if I told anything pretty personal about them. They're quite touchy about anything like that, especially my father. They're nice and allóI'm not saying that-but they're also touchy as hell. Besides, I'm not going to tell you my whole goddam autobiography or anything. I'll just tell you about this madman stuff that happened to me around last Christmas just before I got pretty run-down and had to come out here and take it easy. I mean that's all I told D.B. about, and he's my brother and all. He's in Hollywood. That isn't too far from this crumby place, and he comes over and visits me practically every week end. He's going to drive me home when I go home next month maybe. He just got a Jaguar. One of those lithe English jobs that can do around two hundred miles an hour. It cost him damn near four thousand bucks. He's got a lot of dough, now. He didn't use to. He used to be just a regular writer, when he was home. He wrote this terrific book of short stories, The Secret Goldfish, in case you never heard of him. The best one in it was "The Secret Goldfish." It was about this little kid that wouldn't let anybody look at his goldfish because he'd bought it with his own money. It killed me. Now he's out in Hollywood, D.B., being a prostitute. If there's one thing I hate, it's the movies. Don't even mention them to me.
Many of us have dreaded this day, but from 9 Stories to Franny and Zooey to the above enduring classic, Salinger was the writer who helped many of us, as teenagers feel like we weren't crazy, and that maybe it was the world that was a bit crazy.
In the first place, that stuff bores me, and in the second place, my parents would have about two hemorrhages apiece if I told anything pretty personal about them. They're quite touchy about anything like that, especially my father. They're nice and allóI'm not saying that-but they're also touchy as hell. Besides, I'm not going to tell you my whole goddam autobiography or anything. I'll just tell you about this madman stuff that happened to me around last Christmas just before I got pretty run-down and had to come out here and take it easy. I mean that's all I told D.B. about, and he's my brother and all. He's in Hollywood. That isn't too far from this crumby place, and he comes over and visits me practically every week end. He's going to drive me home when I go home next month maybe. He just got a Jaguar. One of those lithe English jobs that can do around two hundred miles an hour. It cost him damn near four thousand bucks. He's got a lot of dough, now. He didn't use to. He used to be just a regular writer, when he was home. He wrote this terrific book of short stories, The Secret Goldfish, in case you never heard of him. The best one in it was "The Secret Goldfish." It was about this little kid that wouldn't let anybody look at his goldfish because he'd bought it with his own money. It killed me. Now he's out in Hollywood, D.B., being a prostitute. If there's one thing I hate, it's the movies. Don't even mention them to me.
Many of us have dreaded this day, but from 9 Stories to Franny and Zooey to the above enduring classic, Salinger was the writer who helped many of us, as teenagers feel like we weren't crazy, and that maybe it was the world that was a bit crazy.
This post was deleted for the following reason: I think we'll go with the more than one link post, but thank you for trying. -- jessamyn
I mentioned this to my sister who responded, "I thought he was already dead."
Anyway, .
posted by Maisie at 10:39 AM on January 28, 2010
Anyway, .
posted by Maisie at 10:39 AM on January 28, 2010
Is this really the best you can do?
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:40 AM on January 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:40 AM on January 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
.
I still can't decide between Zooey and Raise High the Roofbeams, Carpenters.
posted by shakespeherian at 10:40 AM on January 28, 2010
I still can't decide between Zooey and Raise High the Roofbeams, Carpenters.
posted by shakespeherian at 10:40 AM on January 28, 2010
Also agree with BP. Salinger deserves better than rush-to-firsties.
posted by shakespeherian at 10:41 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by shakespeherian at 10:41 AM on January 28, 2010
Maisie: "I mentioned this to my sister who responded, "I thought he was already dead.""
Just got that from a co-worker.
In fairness, in addition to keepnig a low profile, he was very old.
posted by Joe Beese at 10:41 AM on January 28, 2010
Just got that from a co-worker.
In fairness, in addition to keepnig a low profile, he was very old.
posted by Joe Beese at 10:41 AM on January 28, 2010
I have an insightful comment I'm going to make, but only once I find the thread that isn't the phony.
posted by 1f2frfbf at 10:42 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by 1f2frfbf at 10:42 AM on January 28, 2010
When I was twelve years old and reading naught but science fiction, my mother walked into my room one day and literally threw a copy of Catcher at me saying little more than "read it." This was the first and only time such a thing ever happened. I devoured it immediately and to this day it takes credit for spawning every fuck-the-system sentiment in my body. This same sentiment that eventually turned into "change-the-system," and directed very way I lead my life every day.
Thank you, Mister Salinger. Godspeed.
posted by griphus at 10:42 AM on January 28, 2010
Thank you, Mister Salinger. Godspeed.
posted by griphus at 10:42 AM on January 28, 2010
2nd times a charm!
posted by blue_beetle at 10:42 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by blue_beetle at 10:42 AM on January 28, 2010
I wasn't sure about whether to go ahead with this or not, whatever is best I'm fine with, mods...I don't really feel like a FPP pissing contest, this is pretty shitty and sad news...
posted by Skygazer at 10:45 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by Skygazer at 10:45 AM on January 28, 2010
"I'm sick of just liking people. I wish to God I could meet somebody I could respect." — J.D. Salinger. RIP.
posted by njbradburn at 10:45 AM on January 28, 2010
posted by njbradburn at 10:45 AM on January 28, 2010
If ever there was someone whose whole life was monomaniacally devoted to ensuring that when he finally died, most people would say "Huh, I thought he was already dead," it was J.D. Salinger.
Today, sir, your victory is at hand, at last.
posted by rusty at 10:45 AM on January 28, 2010
Today, sir, your victory is at hand, at last.
posted by rusty at 10:45 AM on January 28, 2010
Is this really the best you can do?
You really need more links to the man's work and life?? Hell, you got any good footage or unique insight to the man you can find online, go for it.
posted by Skygazer at 10:46 AM on January 28, 2010
You really need more links to the man's work and life?? Hell, you got any good footage or unique insight to the man you can find online, go for it.
posted by Skygazer at 10:46 AM on January 28, 2010
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posted by JohnnyGunn at 10:38 AM on January 28, 2010