J.D. Salinger

Joanna Rakoff’s new book tells the story of her year as secretarial assistant to Salinger’s literary agent

Thomas Beller’s fascinating biography ignores Salinger’s life in favour of his work

New book reveals private exchanges from a most private man

Toronto woman’s ‘shoebox letters’ bring elusive author to life

The 50th anniversary of the book–and Sylvia Plath’s death–inspires food for thought

By Kenneth Slawenski

Proceeding in their usual rhythm, the literary necrophages have moved on from contemplating the legacy of J.D. Salinger to considering how it might now be suddenly enlarged by his demise. Salinger gave few public statements in the last 45 years, but he did insist until at least 1980 that he had continued to write. His daughter’s memoir suggests that he did not intend for this hidden oeuvre to be destroyed by his executors. Quite the contrary: the work seems to have been labelled and organized specifically for the purpose of future publication.

The reclusive author came to life in W. P. Kinsella’s 1982 novel

Salinger’s reclusiveness was a blessing to his fans

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