Salinger

[reveparisien]

Mr. Salinger’s literary representative, Harold Ober Associates, announced the death, saying it was of natural causes. “Despite having broken his hip in May,” the agency said, “his health had been excellent until a rather sudden decline after the new year. He was not in any pain before or at the time of his death.”
Source : (very good) New York

Comments

[sullypants]

I can't be eloquent, just sad. Your sadness isn't silly, don't worry. He lived so long!

[reveparisien]

It's not easy to put into words how you feel when someone you feel very much alive everyday when he's your mind and also someone you feel close to through his words ceases to breath. The world has most definitely lost some of its genius this week (cf. have you read some comments that were made ? some of them were really outrageous!).
It's hard to say but if I try to be objective (= impossible) I think he was the last one of his generation, wasn't he ? Given the fact he only published in the 50's. Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know.

[sullypants]

I think so, yes. I'm taking a post-1945 American Fiction class, so we've been discussing him. A few years ago, John Updike passed away, they were both well known for being writers for The New Yorker, I think they might be the last of that lot.

[freeze_tag]

I now have to reread all his books. I reread them all last summer but I was feeling like doing it again anyway. Anyone wants to join me ?

Yes! I do! I did a Salinger marathon the summer before last. He was one of my favorite authors as well. I knew he was well advanced in years, but I'm still sad about his passing. I thought he'd live forever.

[reveparisien]

I also thought he'd live forever ! It seemed to me that he had stopped to aged the day he retired.

I started Nine Stories yesterday before going to bed. Does that sound good to you ?!

[freeze_tag]

Perfect! I bought a copy in English a few months back but haven't found the time to read it yet (I have read it twice in Portuguese already, though). I think Salinger is one of the few authors I have more than a copy of every book for. My grandfather was a big fan when his books first came out here, in the 1950s, so I have his really worn-out copies (Franny and Zooey is practically falling apart) and then I couldn't resist buying shiny new copies for myself and to top it off I also bought copies in English. I must be insane.

[reveparisien]

That's perfect then ! :) I'm really enjoying re-reading his short stories. I hope it'll be the same for you !
What a nice story ! I'm sure these old copies are really beautiful (are they in Portuguese or in English ?). Lucky you :D Also, I can relate to your wanted shiny new copies. I'm like that too !
We can never get enough of Salinger. You're not insane :)

[cycnoches]

i have three favorite writers, in less than two years two of them passed away :-(

I find it difficult, however, to read their books right after they've gone, and I can't explain it. The other writer was David Foster Wallace, and it took me a year to read one of his works after he died. With Salinger it may be different, DFW took his like afterall and I felt strange reading his words.

I think the death of a favorite writer always leaves an empty space inside, even if it's not a "productive" writer. Knowing they're alive in this world gives a sort of comfort that is hard to describe, losing them is like losing a piece of my world, to me.

[reveparisien]

It's so sad. He'll be greatly missed.
I read about David Foster Wallace after reading your comment and that's very sad indeed. I can understand how hard it must have been to read his books (almost read "him", hear him talk and listen to his voice (almost) when you knew he wasn't in this world anymore).
Your last two sentences are really beautiful and that's exactly how I felt.
I started re-reading Nine Stories yesterday and I know I didn't read it the same I did when he was still alive. It just feels different. That's strange.

[gauloise]

I'm re-reading Franny and Zooey right now.
Was sad to hear of his passing, it was nice living in the world while he was alive:) But 91 is a good age! I wonder if there'll be any unread manuscripts available for publishing??

[reveparisien]

That's an excellent idea. I decided to re-read Nine Stories but I'm sure I'll keep reading and Franny and Zooey is one of my favourites.
It was really sad indeed. I had already thought about his passing away in the near future but it felt like it would never actually happen.
That's what I wonder too and I keep reading any new article coming out on that particular question. There are so many questions and theories. Are there really any manuscript ? Did he keep them ? Did he say he didn't want them to be published ? Did he say he wanted his publishers to wait until his passing to publish them (I know I'm dreaming ! I read that today somewhere though... I like that idea very much. It would be strange to read some of his manuscripts that he never wanted us to read when he was alive, you know ?).