I reread Catcher in the Rye a few years ago along with The Great Gatsby to decide which deserved their place in the American canon — and came away firmly believing in Catcher in the Rye.

Sometimes I read a book and don’t get around to writing about it in time before the detail is gone, leaving only a gist. The Great Gatsby is one. I can hardly remember it, and it was only a few months back. A Clockwork Orange, which sadly I didn’t write about, even though it’s one of favourites for this year, still shines bright in my mind. But Gatsby? No.

There is a part of me that hopes that Salinger in his New England retreat has been writing things and stowing them on the shelf, for publication later.

Well, according to Wikipedia, there’s this:

While he was living with Maynard, Salinger continued to write in a disciplined fashion, a few hours every morning. According to Maynard, by 1972 he had completed two new novels. In a rare 1974 interview with The New York Times, he explained: “There is a marvelous peace in not publishing.… I like to write. I love to write. But I write just for myself and my own pleasure.” According to Maynard, he saw publication as “a damned interruption”. In her memoir, Margaret Salinger describes the detailed filing system her father had for his unpublished manuscripts: “A red mark meant, if I die before I finish my work, publish this ‘as is,’ blue meant publish but edit first, and so on.”

Whether he’s kept them after the fiasco with the women’s memoirs in the 1990s, we’ll find out when he pops his clogs.

Titania, you say:

Your profound understanding of the character of Holden Caulfield demonstrates that the age at which you read this book scarcely matters.

I don’t think you need to be any age to understand Holden Caulfield, but it may help to be a similar age and in a similar situation to empathise wholly with him.

You know, when I read this review over this morning, I was amazed I’d got through it without mentioning the repeated refrain of phony. In a way, that’s nice, I think.

There is a part of me that hopes that Salinger in his New England retreat has been writing things and stowing them on the shelf, for publication later. He is a masterful writer, this book is only an introduction and I am sorry that he did not write more.

Brilliant work, Stewart. Brilliant.

Titania

Thank you for your very informative comment on polish writing - you have given me several links which are well-worth following up.

No problem. I think I’m privileged to have, at my nearest Waterstone’s, a bona fide book seller, one with an interest in European and Latin American literature, so the displays help get an idea of the wealth of unsung publishers and literature out there.

I wonder if there’ll be a Steinbeck revival one day? I know nobody who’s read any of his books but I’m sure I read them all about 30 years ago!

Steinbeck’s a favourite of mine, although I’ve only listed one title here so far, his first novel Cup Of Gold. I was intending on reading them in order, as I have all his books on my shelves in the Penguin Modern Classics editions. I suppose what’s stopping me reading them in order is that next up is To A God Unknown, which I’ve read before. Others I’ve read are Burning Bright, The Moon Is Down, Of Mice And Men, The Pearl, and The Red Pony. I’ve deliberately avoided the larger ones, The Grapes Of Wrath and East Of Eden. For now, anyway.

I read the Catcher in the Rye in my 20s and enjoyed it. It has a sardonic, reflective voice which is very appealing and yes, definitely an American classic - I wonder if there’ll be a Steinbeck revival one day? I know nobody who’s read any of his books but I’m sure I read them all about 30 years ago!