J. D. Salinger, born on January 1, 1919, in New York City, was an influential American writer best known for his novel "The Catcher in the Rye." This seminal work, published in 1951, has become a classic of modern American literature, resonating with generations of readers. Salinger's early life was marked by academic struggles, but he found solace in writing. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army, and his experiences in the conflict greatly affected his perspective and writing.
"The Catcher in the Rye," Salinger's most famous work, is narrated by the iconic character Holden Caulfield, a disenchanted and rebellious teenager. The novel's exploration of adolescent angst, alienation, and the search for authenticity struck a chord with readers, leading to both acclaim and controversy. Salinger's unique narrative style, blending colloquial language with profound insights, allowed him to capture the voice of youth in a way that few authors had before. Beyond this novel, his short stories and novellas, particularly those revolving around the fictional Glass family, further established his reputation as a keen observer of human nature.
Despite his literary success, Salinger became increasingly reclusive, withdrawing from the public eye and publishing less frequently. He spent much of his later life in Cornish, New Hampshire, away from the scrutiny and demands of fame. His aversion to publicity and refusal to allow film adaptations of his works added to the enigma surrounding him. Salinger's influence on American literature remains significant, and his exploration of complex themes and characters continues to inspire writers and readers alike. He passed away on January 27, 2010, leaving behind a body of work that, though limited in quantity, is rich in quality and continues to be a vital part of the literary landscape.
A boxed set comprising hardcover editions of four works of fiction by J. D. Salinger: The Catcher in the Rye, Nine Stories, Franny and Zooey, and Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour--An Introduction.
The "brilliant, funny, meaningful novel" (The New Yorker) that established J. D. Salinger as a leading voice in American literature--and that has instilled in millions of readers around the world a lifelong love of books. "If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth." The hero-narrator of The Catcher in the Rye is an ancient child of sixteen, a native New Yorker named Holden Caufield. Through circumstances that tend to preclude adult, secondhand description, he leaves his prep school in Pennsylvania and goes underground in New York City for three days.
he author writes: FRANNY came out in The New Yorker in 1955, and was swiftly followed, in 1957 by ZOOEY. Both stories are early, critical entries in a narrative series I'm doing about a family of settlers in twentieth-century New York, the Glasses. It is a long-term project, patently an ambiguous one, and there is a real-enough danger, I suppose that sooner or later I'll bog down, perhaps disappear entirely, in my own methods, locutions, and mannerisms. On the whole, though, I'm very hopeful. I love working on these Glass stories, I've been waiting for them most of my life, and I think I have fairly decent, monomaniacal plans to finish them with due care and all-available skill.
Boston 1959 first edition Little Brown. Third State, with Dedication facing the copyright page. Hardcover. Octavo, grey cloth with gilt spine lettering. Near Fine, slight bit of browning on end papers, small rubbed spot inside rear cover, extremely light foxing on fore-edges, in VG DJ, small area of wrinkling on front panel, scattered light spotting.
Early stories of great American storyteller. Perfect dustcover, spine whole, pages unblemished. Fair wear on jacket spine, but itself is flawless.
In honour of the centennial of the birth of J.D. Salinger in 1919, Penguin reissues all four of his books in beautiful commemorative hardback editions - with artwork and text based on the very first Salinger editions published in the 1950s and 1960s. A collection of nine exceptional stories from one of the great American voices of the twentieth century. Witty, urbane and frequently affecting, For Esmé - with Love and Squalor sits alongside Salinger's very best work - a gem that will be passed down for many generations to come.
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