J. D. Salinger has died

[Christiern]

Details?

Here is an obit.

Edited January 28, 2010 by Christiern

[RDK]

Early rumors have been confirmed. Apparently the news was broken by his agent. Given that Salinger hasn't published in over 50 years, that's one hell of a loyal agent!

I haven't read Catcher in many years; I suspect many will be rereading it tonight.

R.I.P.

[ghost of miles]

Not unexpected, given that he was 91, but still leaves me feeling sad--I loved his fiction and continue to revisit it to this day (especially the Glass family novellas). There's a very good biography coming out in several months that will provide a lot of interesting background on his war years, the work he put into his early stories, etc.

[ghost of miles]

I've read that in his later years Salinger was not particularly a jazz fan. But here's an uncollected story from 1948 that holds some interest--it was originally titled "Needle On a Scratchy Phonograph Record," until the editors at Cosmopolitan (much to Salinger's chagrin) changed it to "Blue Melody":

Needle on a Scratchy Phonograph Record

[Matthew]

91!!??!! It doesn't seem possible. Anyway, a great talent. RIP

[Jim Alfredson]

Heard a discussion awhile back about whether we (the public) have a right to posthumously publish works of writers. The discussion turned to Salinger because it's assumed he's been writing this whole time. They started talking about if he had a will that stated for his wife to burn everything upon his death and whether he had a right to do that.

I turned the radio off. Stupid discussion.

RIP

[Hardbopjazz]

Just about everyone has read "Catcher in the Rye." I didn't know he had not published in so long.

[AllenLowe]

it's a bad day for banana fish -

[BruceH]

I'll miss the articles, blogging, constant appearances on radio and talk shows, and most of all the steady flow of new stories.

(Or not.)

[danasgoodstuff]

I have very fond memories of reading Catcher in the back seat of a car (amazingly I don't remember what) with two sisters from Turtleford, SK, one of whom insisted on mispronouncing "Phoebie". If I remeber right Catcher has a passage about a piano player who's lost his touch, any idea who he may have had in mind?

[Guest Bill Barton]

R.I.P.

I've mentioned on the board before that I grew up in Cornish, N.H. and have memories of Salinger attending town meeting every year. It was just about the only time he ever came out of seclusion. Cornish residents were quite supportive of his hermit ways... Woe unto any reporter who tried to find out exactly where he lived or get any information at all about him!

And thanks for that link, ghost!

Edited January 28, 2010 by Bill Barton

[brownie]

The news hit me in the same way as a death in the family.

Salinger has been a favorite writer since I read 'The Catcher in the Rye' in english when I was 16. My second book in english, after Mailer's 'The Naked and the Dead'. His other novellas and books followed.

I really hope that new works will come out from whatever closets they are being kept.

[king ubu]

Sad news. "Catcher in the Rye" was one of the first books I read in english as well. Great book!

[ghost of miles]

Craig Ferguson devoted most of his monologue last night to Salinger.

[Chalupa]

News story....

Bunch of Phonies Mourn J.D. Salinger

Edited January 29, 2010 by J.H. Deeley

[AllenLowe]

I don't know - anyone who can have an affair with Joyce Maynard is either horny beyond belief, or extremely shallow.

[GregK]

am I the only one who has not read that book?

[BruceH]

News story....

Bunch of Phonies Mourn J.D. Salinger

As usual, The Onion puts it all in perspective.

[Chuck Nessa]

In high school and college everyone was reading it. I tried but never finished it. My loss I guess.

[Teasing the Korean]

I like some of the stories collected in the other volumes even more than "Catcher," but the latter made a huge impression on me at an impressionable age, just like finding Blue Note and Impulse! cutouts in the budget bin on my busboy's salary.

[AllenLowe]

I actually liked Catcher in the Rye and not much else. Funny stuff about The Lunts, Ackley Kid, and

DIGRESSION!

[BruceH]

Damn phonies!

[Brownian Motion]

I have very fond memories of reading Catcher in the back seat of a car (amazingly I don't remember what) with two sisters from Turtleford, SK, one of whom insisted on mispronouncing "Phoebie". If I remeber right Catcher has a passage about a piano player who's lost his touch, any idea who he may have had in mind?

I've read that the pianist was based on Art Tatum. If I remember correctly it wasn't that he had lost his touch--it was that he was all flash and no substance.

[Dave James]

I've read that in his later years Salinger was not particularly a jazz fan. But here's an uncollected story from 1948 that holds some interest--it was originally titled "Needle On a Scratchy Phonograph Record," until the editors at Cosmopolitan (much to Salinger's chagrin) changed it to "Blue Melody":

Needle on a Scratchy Phonograph Record

David, thanks for posting this. I have to confess that this is the first Salinger I've ever read. I thought it was terrific. Quirky, off plumb, whatever. The sort of piece where you can lose track of the narrative in deference to style and nuance. More than once, I laughed out loud, just like I used to when I'd read David Sedaris in the New Yorker. On the basis of this limited exposure, I must make it a point to do Catcher, and soon.

Edited January 30, 2010 by Dave James

[Brownian Motion]

I've read that in his later years Salinger was not particularly a jazz fan. But here's an uncollected story from 1948 that holds some interest--it was originally titled "Needle On a Scratchy Phonograph Record," until the editors at Cosmopolitan (much to Salinger's chagrin) changed it to "Blue Melody":

Needle on a Scratchy Phonograph Record

David, thanks for posting this. I have to confess that this is the first Salinger I've ever read. I thought it was terrific. Quirky, off plumb, whatever. The sort of piece where you can lose track of the narrative in deference to style and nuance. More than once, I laughed out loud, just like I used to when I'd read David Sedaris in the New Yorker. On the basis of this limited exposure, I must make it a point to do Catcher, and soon.

It's interesting that you had that reaction, Dave. In all the appreciations of Salinger I've read over the last three days there is little or no mention of his comic gift. His writings always made me laugh out loud.