Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye attracted a cult following
JD Salinger, author of Catcher in the Rye, 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 was born in New York and 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.
THE CATCHER IN THE RYE
First published in 1951
Sold more than 60 million copies in several languages
Cited by John Lennon’s killer Mark Chapman as inspiration for his crime
Obituary: JD Salinger 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.
Christopher Hitchens says the book inspired him to find out more about the US
Last year, Salinger took legal action to block the publication of a book by a Swedish author - 60 Years Later: Coming Through the Rye - that was billed as a follow-up to his classic novel.
He has taken legal action to protect his copyright on previous occasions, but has never appeared in court. He has also refused filming rights for his story.
His three subsequent books - including Franny and Zooey - were all best-sellers.
HAVE YOUR SAYCatcher in the Rye was a brilliant and very engaging story that I remember to this dayEWT, Fordingbridge But no new Salinger fiction appeared after 1965 and he has done everything possible to try to thwart the efforts of biographers.
Although many years have passed since the publication of any work by Salinger, friends and visitors to his home have revealed that he has a large safe containing at least 15 completed manuscripts.
Throughout his life, Salinger befriended women younger than himself.
He married Claire Douglas, aged 19, when he was 35 in 1954. They had two children and then divorced in 1967.
For nearly 30 years before his death, he lived with a woman named Colleen O’Neill, leading an ascetic life.
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