Catcher in the Rye novelist JD Salinger dies at 91

[sau]

Inspirer of 'A Perfect Day Elise', of course...Edit: And 'Angelene'.

Catcher in the Rye novelist JD Salinger dies at 91

American novelist JD Salinger, author of classic 20th Century book The Catcher in the Rye, has died aged 91.

The reclusive writer died of natural causes at his home in the state of New Hampshire, his son said.

The Catcher In The Rye, first published in 1951, is a tale of teenage angst. It has become one of the most influential American novels of the modern era.

Soon after its publication, Salinger shunned the fame it brought and became a recluse for the rest of his life.

The son of a Jewish businessman and Scots-Irish mother, Jerome David Salinger grew up in Manhattan.

He enjoyed early success in the 1940s with the publication of numerous short stories in magazines, among them the New Yorker.

But he is best known for The Catcher in the Rye, which quickly became a bible of teenage dissent in America and a staple of high school and freshman college English courses.

Almost immediately after Catcher was published, Salinger became disillusioned with the publishing industry.

In 1953, he bought a house at Cornish, New Hampshire, and retreated into seclusion, giving a rare and final interview in 1980.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8486169.stm

[dclaiborne]

I didn' know this. t's a pity. I read that book when I was 16, and its one of my favories books.

[sau]

Hola d. Yes, very good book. I was in my early twenties when I read it. Better late than never!

[fiveliterlx1990]

I got an e-mail alert from the NY Times regarding this. Too bad to hear about his passing away, his book is a must read class for all, hell I read Catcher in the Rye years ago. But on another note, he had a long life. I can only wish that I can live this long. R.I.P. JD Salinger

[DrDark]

Of course it's worth mentioning here that Polly paid homage to Salinger with her song "A Perfect Day Elise" (Salinger's A Perfect Day for Banannafish from his Nine Stories and the line "Pretty Mouth, Green My Eyes" a Salinger title from the same short story collection.

By all accounts Salinger was an eccentric, reclusive genius:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._D._Salinger

Hm, Salinger, Beefheart, Flannery O'Conner, (Polly). Anyone see a pattern here?

[cat on the wall]

R.I.P.

[Fiona]

RIP Salinger

I totally adored that book. I read it for an English paper, and it was really the only novel we read at school I actually enjoyed.

[persongirl]

everyone who hasn't read it is a phony It's a really controversial book, I'm mean it came out in the 40s. It's cool to se a book where the main character is a non conformist come out during a time where people where expected to conform to be productive members of society.