Edited by Richard Walker, Sunday, 31 Jan 2010, 01:50
J.D. Salinger has died.
The immortal novel he wrote way back (1960?), The Catcher in the Rye, is a magic book, probably the best or second best American novel of the 20-th century. He wrote some other stuff - short stories - and they are good too.
Something I remember from these stories is an attachment to haiku, I think a famous one by Issa is there somewhere
Don't swat it! The fly is rubbing Its hands and legs
Salinger then gave up publishing any work and famously became an extreme recluse, refusing all publicity and repulsing interviews.
That doesn't seem so surprising or unreasonable; he seems to have been drawn towards a contemplative life, and had an interest in Zen.
The Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger has died.
The immortal novel he wrote way back (1960?), The Catcher in the Rye, is a magic book, probably the best or second best American novel of the 20-th century. He wrote some other stuff - short stories - and they are good too.
Something I remember from these stories is an attachment to haiku, I think a famous one by Issa is there somewhere
Don't swat it!
The fly is rubbing
Its hands and legs
Salinger then gave up publishing any work and famously became an extreme recluse, refusing all publicity and repulsing interviews.
That doesn't seem so surprising or unreasonable; he seems to have been drawn towards a contemplative life, and had an interest in Zen.