Thread: Mourning

That settles it. I was about to grab a book from the shelf to re-read, and could not settle on one. Was going to get Travels With Charley by Steinbeck, but now I am reaching for Catcher in the Rye.

According to the London Evening Standard, sales of his books have gone up. 'Catcher in the Rye' by 3,000% some his less popular stories by up to 13,000%
U.S. and UK academics have been featured today on the BBC. They cast doubt on whether he actually wrote anything of note, or indeed anything, during his decades as a recluse. Time will tell I suppose.

Obie,

I'm assuming that fellow writer Salinger was one of your literary idols, and I do feel for your loss. CITR was a good book, but I have always wondered what it is about it that caused such morbid obsession in nutjobs like Mark Chapman, who caused the loss of one of my idols, John Lennon.

Originally Posted by welshwizard

According to the London Evening Standard, sales of his books have gone up. 'Catcher in the Rye' by 3,000% some his less popular stories by up to 13,000%
U.S. and UK academics have been featured today on the BBC. They cast doubt on whether he actually wrote anything of note, or indeed anything, during his decades as a recluse. Time will tell I suppose.

From an article I read he supposedly had a number of manuscripts in a safe, not wanting to share them with the world.

I did read it in high school for the obvious reason that a girl I was into was really into it. I guess that means I liked it too, even though I had to reread it a decade later. Turned out it's actually a pretty good book, and looking back to my first reading, a useful one as well

We didn't read Catcher in the Rye when I was in school, not so long ago. We didn't have any good books, really.

But I read it on my own time, when I must have been 16 or 17. I loved it. I still do. I love Salinger, and everything he stood for as a great writer. I wish he could have found some way to reconcile his art and fame - but that is selfish, on my part.

The world feels a bit emptier, simply knowing he's not in it. Is that strange?

Originally Posted by Ryan82

Obie,

I'm assuming that fellow writer Salinger was one of your literary idols, and I do feel for your loss. CITR was a good book, but I have always wondered what it is about it that caused such morbid obsession in nutjobs like Mark Chapman, who caused the loss of one of my idols, John Lennon.

Hello, Ryan:

Salinger was not the only writer who was my idol. All writers, the great ones and those half way up the latter, are my idols. All of them. They are my idols, because, as a writer myself, a humble writer who comes nowhere near these great ones, I know what it takes to write something that the world reads. I know how hard it is to put a good paragraph together, let alone string a group of them together for a book.

During one of my many reads of "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, I remember stopping and just shaking my head: My Lord, how can some write so well? It's depressing, because I know I will never come up to Fitzgerald toe as a writer. Also overwhelming, because of the joy I take from such great writing. That's just an example.

I write as myself without comparing myself to other writers. That's how it should be.

So yes, they all are my idols. As for Salinger's book influencing Chapman in the killing, was the book his motivation? Really? I don't believe so. It takes more than a book to commit such an evil act.

Regards,

Obie

Loved Catcher In The Rye and am thinking of a re-read as I type, RIP. Only tried one other of his works (the name escapes me) and couldn't get past the second chapter. Is there other stuff you could recommend, Obie (or anyone)? Have I just gone along with the received wisdom while in fact, missing out?

Hello, Alan:

Oh my, there is so much great stuff to read. Where does one start? Read Hemingway. Fitzgerald. Updike (By the way, I interviewed Updike a long time ago. What a dazzling mind he had. And he was so gracious and pleasant.). Dickens. Flaubert. Zola. Scores of contemporary writers. Start hitting the libraries. In fact, the first thing I do when moving to a new town is to get a library card and find out where all the bookstores are.

Stay well.

Regards,

Obie

Originally Posted by Obie

I write as myself without comparing myself to other writers. That's how it should be. I couldn't agree with you more....

As for Salinger's book influencing Chapman in the killing, was the book his motivation? Really? I don't believe so. It takes more than a book to commit such an evil act.

Regards,

Obie

Though Chapman obviously had severe mental illness issues, CITR was indeed a focal point to his murderous intentions, and the book was a life long obsession for him. He fancied himself as Holden Caulfield, and focused his anger at phonies, in this case the ultimate phonie (to Chapman) was John Lennon. He was the ultimate nobody trying to extinguish the light of the ultimate somebody. When he was arrested at the Dakota in NYC he was found calmly reading his well-worn copy of CITR, and when police raided his hotel suite they found another copy set up in a shrine-like monument on a coffee table, the book opened to a select passage in the book (I can't remember which off hand) to give clue to his motivations.

As a side note, wasn't Ronald Reagon's would-be assassin also obsessed with CITR? I ask because, not being an American, my U.S. history might be a little hazy, and I haven't had enough coffee to wikipedia it yet

I do agree, Obie, that it takes more than a book to commit such a heinous act, but then again types like you and me seem to be somehow able to distinguish reality from fiction.