January 27th marked the day of eternal passing for a man whom some would argue was the greatest author ever.
JD Salinger may have just been the most influential author in our time. The Catcher in the Rye has been a staple in the American education curriculum for years, and rightfully so.
Natural causes brought him to the end of his life in his home in Cornish, New Hampshire, where he had been living in Seclusion for over 50 years.
Thanks to Mr. Tyrell and the Brothers of St. Joseph, I had the opportunity, as all should, to read "Catcher." Aside from its' immediate best seller status, the book granted young men and women the right to question their own mental stability. Holden Caufield made us realize that life is hard, at times almost too hard, but the only passage to internal freedom is through your own feelings.
Over 250,000 paperback copies of the life changing book are sold each year.
Salinger, aside from his literary genius, was notorious for being a recluse. A 6 and a half foot fence was built around his home to keep him free from potential reporters or interested fans. He would be seen by neighbors walking to a guest house, built directly behind the main house, every morning. It was there where he continued to write, from 1953 until his death at 91 years old, every single day. While the vast majority of his writings have never been released, and I am sure under a clause in his will-never will be, he still devoted his entire life to writing.
He was known to only leave his home on vacations to Florida, where he would meet with the former New Yorker editor-in-chief, William Shawn.
An unfortunate memoir was released in 1998 by a former lover of his, Joyce Maynard. The memoir spoke of Salinger as "sexually manipulative" and "clinically insane." This only added to his distrust of the outside world, along with his true hatred of news reporting.
His early years consisted of Salinger, known to his pals as "Sonny," living a life similar to one of Holden himself. Salinger attended the swaggy McBurney School in the Upper West Side of NYC. Captain of the fencing team and the literary editor of the school yearbook, created a divine similarity to Holden.
I came across this piece, a poem that Salinger submitted to his senior year yearbook...
Hide not thy tears on this last day
Your sorrow has no shame;
To march no more midst lines of gray;
No longer play the game.
Four years have passed in joyful ways — Wouldst stay those old times dear?
Then cherish now these fleeting days,
The few while you are here.
This unfortunate passing leaves the world without one of the most influential authors of all time. The story of his life is a great example of how media popularity can literally kill a man. "Nine Stories" "Franny and Zooey" "Raise High the Roofbeam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction" Three additional pieces of his that I have yet to read, but am strongly encouraged.
RIP JD, youre message and words will live in infamy.
