J.D. Salinger, author of ‘Catcher in the Rye,’ dies age 91

[Canadian]

J.D. Salinger, author of ‘Catcher in the Rye,’ dies at age 91

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 longtime literary representative, Harold Ober Agency. 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.”

It is always sad when someone dies but he lived to 91 and that is pretty good, especially for a male. I have always meant to read 'Catcher in the Rye' but never got around to it, hopefully I do eventually.

Read the rest here at the Star

[peapod]

Its a pretty hopeless book, I never understood why it achieved its particular standing. Mind you, just my opinion.

[Durgan]

I read the Catcher in the Rye years ago, and recently did again to determine if my first impression was similar. It was.! Truly amongst the most stupid ,idiotic books written.

The media and educational institutions ranted and raved about this book. I read it at about the age of the protagonists, and the punk sure couldn't have hacked it in my circles. Kids were even forced to read this crap in high school- similar to Lost Horizon but without the story line. It is best remembered as the origin of Shangri-La. The only redeeming feature.

[peapod]

I think people are more attracted to salinger himself, he was unusual. Two books I was forced to read in school that stand out to me were to kill a mockingbird and lord of the flies. I liked them, I liked them alot. Every now and than I re-read mockingbird.

[angora]

I loved Catcher - I would have been in my late teens when I read it and Holden Caulfield resonated for me. I went on then to read the short stories and Franny and Zooey.

The man (Salinger) had a powerful voice and a sure way with words that caught my creative instincts. Salinger was the reason I aspired to write. I thought if I could call to one soul the way he called to me my life would have acheived a purpose.

I recently re read Nine Stories and am still impressed by his sure hand on my heart.

[angora]

http://www.thestar.com/news/obituary/ar ... as-recluse

here is a column from today's TO star regarding Salinger's writing and the influence he had on other writers and society in general.

[Toby Fourre]

Funny how those of us who read Salinger are of a certain age. I'm not sure that his novels would go well today but at the time they struck a note that many heard.

[peapod]

Funny how those of us who read Salinger are of a certain age

For certain authors this does not hold true, for instance richard brautigan, even today when I give a young person one of his books, they become immediate fans.