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J.D.
Salinger
a Brief Survey and Bibliography
by John Murphy II
Publications by Salinger
Movies and Video Documentaries
Jerome David Salinger was born on Jan. 1, 1919 to Sol and Miriam Salinger in New York City. Sol was a ham and cheese importer whose fortunes steadily increased as Jerome grew older. His mother, Miriam was born Marie Jilich, an Irish Catholic who changed her name to Miriam to be more in line with Sol's Jewish family. Salinger has one older sister named Doris who worked for many years at Bloomingdale's.
Growing up Salinger went by the nickname Sonny, or as Jerry, it was not until he became a published author did he use the initials J.D. The Salinger's moved several times as Sonny grew older, each address improving as the family fortunes grew better, they finally settled on Park Avenue across from Central Park. Salinger attended McBurney school after perhaps attending New York public schools at some point. Salinger never showed himself to be a great student though his I.Q. was tested as above average. After not returning to McBurney he was sent to Valley Forge Military Academy in Pennsylvania. Salinger worked on the school paper and yearbook there, but for the most part did not fit in with the other students and was viewed as a loner at the school. After graduating, Salinger enrolled at NYU for a short stint, but did not remain a student for long. His father sent him to Europe to learn about the family business in ham and cheese importing. He spent time in Vienna and Poland, but left Europe before Hitler invaded Poland.
Once back in the states Salinger enrolled at Ursinus College in Pennsylvania. Again he stayed only for a short time, though he already exhibited his confidence to other students that he would eventually become a great writer. Returning to New York City he entered Whit Burnett's short story class at Columbia. It was in Burnett's magazine Story that Salinger first made his print debut with the story "Young Folks" in 1940.
World War II interrupted Salinger's fledgling efforts to become a full time writer. He was assigned to the Counter Intelligence Corps, and was part of the 4th infantry division's landing at Utah beach on D-Day. Salinger participated in many of the epic battles of WWII, including the Battle of the Hurtegen Forest, and the Battle of the Bulge. During his military service Salinger was able to meet Hemingway in Paris after its liberation. After the war, while still in Europe Salinger married a French woman, but they were divorced shortly afterwards.
The War over, Salinger returned to the States and began working again on the story that was to eventually become "Catcher in the Rye". He finally published "Catcher in the Rye " in 1951. In 1953 Salinger moved to Cornish New Hampshire, where he still lives. In 1955 he married Claire Douglass with whom he had two children: Margaret Salinger(1955), and Matthew Salinger(1960). Claire and Salinger were divorced in 1967.
Salinger has lived a reclusive lifestyle since the publication of Catcher in the Rye, appearing in public less and less often. He briefly had an affair with Joyce Maynard in 1972 after seeing her picture on the cover of the New York Times Magazine for a article she'd written. Maynard chronicled their relationship in her book "At Home in the World". He later married Colleen O'Neill with whom he still lives in Cornish N.H.
According to sources, including neighbors and family, he still writes, and will hopefully publish again someday. In 1997 his final published story ,"Hapworth 16, 1924" ,was supposed to be released under the Orchises Press imprint, but has yet to make it's appearance. It may or may not be published in Salinger's lifetime.
J.D. Salinger is arguably one of the greatest writer of the 20th century, though in some ways, his tendencies towards isolation have become the greater part of his legacy rather than his writing.
The following is a list of Salinger related publications, including a short descriptions of the uncollected short stories. Also included are a few biographies, histories, and literary criticisms about Salinger and his work.
PUBLICATIONS
The
Catcher in the Rye (Boston: Little Brown
& Company, 1951).
Salinger's classic novel about a young man having
a difficult time fitting into the world.
Nine
Stories (Boston: Little Brown & Company,
1953).
"Nine
Stories" are the stories Salinger's thought
worthy of recollection into book form. The rest
of his early short stories he thought should
disappear without further consultation. Included
in "Nine Stories" some of Salinger's best stories:
"Perfect Day for the Bananafish", " For Esme'
Love and Squalor" &"Teddy".
Franny
and Zooey (Boston: Little Brown & Company,
1961).
This
book chronicle's the two youngest Glass children,
Franny and Zooey. "Franny" deals with the youngest
Glass child Franny, and her obsession with a
religious text. The obsession with the text
becomes ever greater until she finally can take
it no more and just kind of fades to a catatonic
state chanting a prayer over and over. "Zooey"
also deals with Franny and her obsession with
the religious text, but it deals more with the
ramifications of Seymour and Buddy Glass, and
how they exposed, or forced, religious training
on Franny and Zooey when they were children.
Raise
High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour:
An Introduction (Boston: Little Brown and
Company, 1963).
These
two stories continue the Glass family saga.
Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters
follows Buddy Glass on Seymour's wedding day.
Buddy is the only member of the Glass family
able to attend the wedding. Buddy becomes entangled
with the bride's wedding party when Seymour
doesn't show for his own wedding. Seymour:
An Introduction is a rambling piece written
from Buddy Glass's perspective to add insight
into the character and life of Seymour Glass.
Complete
Uncollected Short Stories 2 volumes (Berkeley,
Calif.?: N.P., 1974).
This
is a two volume pirated edition of Salinger's
short stories. This set includes all the stories
he published in magazines that were never recollected
into book form.
Twenty-two
Stories (Train Bridge Recluse, 1998)
Another
version of pirated texts composing Salinger's
magazine published works.
"The
Young Folks" Story XVI (March/April 1940),
p.26-36.
Salinger's
first published story, it was published in Whit
Burnett's Story Magazine. Burnett was the teacher
of short story writing at Columbia where Salinger
took his course.
"Go
See Eddie" Kansas City Review VII (December
1940), p.121-124.
Story
about a brother and sister. The brother attempting
to get his sister to go out and get a job from
Eddie.
"The
Heart of a Broken Story" Esquire XVI (September
1941), p.32, 131-133.
Heart
of a Broken story is Salinger's satirical story
about the products of the slick magazines in
the 30's and 40's. Salinger pokes fun at the
formulaic boy meets girl stories that appear
with regularity in the magazines.
"The
Hang of It" Collier's CVIII (July 12, 1942),
p.22, also in The Kitbook for Soldiers, Sailors,
and Marines.
A
timely tale of a soldier who just can't seem
to get the "Hang of It". A positive ending twist
to the story was fitting for the countries involvement
in WWII.
"The
Long Debut of Lois Taggett" Story XXI, (September/October
1942), p.28-34, also in Story: The Fiction
of the Forties (New York: Dutton, 1949).
The
tale of a debutant and her loves. From the man
who falls madly in love with her, but tries
to hurt her, to the "dope" she finds a certain
contentment with.
"Personal
Notes of an Infantryman" Collier's CX (December
12, 1942), p.96.
A
War story about an older man trying to get in
the military, and then overseas to combat with
a surprise ending.
"The
Varoni Brothers" Saturday Evening Post CCXVI
(July 17, 1943), p.12-13,76-77.
The
"Varoni Brothers" is a short story dealing with
two brothers, one a sensitive artist who's attempts
at writing the great American novel are thwarted
by the manipulations of his brother who forces
him to write music instead of his book. Ultimately
the good brother is destroyed due to his brothers
actions. Salinger had hoped that this story
would be made into a movie, but it did not happen.
"Both
Parties Concerned" Saturday Evening Post,
CCXVI (February 20, 1944), p.14,47-48.
Both
Parties Concerned is a story of a young couple
and their baby after the war. The story chronicles
their struggles to mature from adolescence and
the conflicts they encounter.
"Soft
Boiled Sergeant" Saturday Evening Post,
CCXVI, (April 15, 1944) p.18,32,82-85.
Written
before he had actually seen combat, it chronicles
a young soldier's entry in the military, and
his contact with a good natured Staff Sergeant
he could never forget.
"Last
Day of the Last Furlough" Saturday Evening
Post CCXVII (July 15, 1944), p.26-27, 61-62,
64.
This
story covers the last days of furlough for Babe
Goldwater before he is shipped off to the war.
Salinger uses his own Army SSN number as Babe's,
perhaps in reference to his own departure for
the war. Babe spends most of the time with his
little sister, Mattie, until his fellow soldier
Vincent Caufield comes over to spend the evening
with them before departing in the morning. Vincent
announces his brother, Holden has been reported
Missing in Action.
"Once
a Week Won't Kill You" Story XXV (November/December
1944), p.23-27.
Another
of Salinger's stories dealing with the departure
of a soldier for combat in Europe, and the soldiers
request that his wife spend more time with his
Aunt when he is gone.
"A
Boy in France" Saturday Evening Post CCXVII
(March 31,1945), p.21,92.
One
of the few stories in which Salinger deals with
combat in the war. The setting is at the front,
a soldier in his foxhole, trying to maintain
his sanity by reading, and rereading a note
sent from his sister. The idea is very similar
to Holden's dependence upon his little sister
Pheobe in "Catcher in the Rye".
"Elaine"
Story XXV (March/April 1945), p.38-47.
The
story of a beautiful, but slow girl, who has
a hard time dealing with the real world, and
the people that that would take advantage of
her.
"This
Sandwich Has No Mayonnaise" Esquire XXIV
(October 1945), p.54-56, 147-149, also reprinted
in Armchair Esquire, ed. Arnold Gingrich
(N.Y.: Putnam's, 1958).
Vincent
Caufield, Holden's older brother, makes an appearance
in this story as a infantryman waiting in the
back of a troop truck of men preparing to go
to a dance in town. Vincent's mind is totally
caught up in thoughts about Holden though, who
he has been told is Missing in Action.
"The
Stranger" Collier's CXVI (December 1, 1945),
p.18,77.
Babe
Goldwater and his little sister Mattie reappear
in "The Stranger". Babe feels it his responsibility
to seek out Vincent Caulfield's former girlfriend,
and tell her that he has been killed in action.
"I'm
Crazy" Collier's CXVI, (December 22, 1945),
p.36,48,51.
"I'm
Crazy" is an early version of Holden's departure
from prep school that later shows up in Catcher
in the Rye.
"Slight
Rebellion off Madison" New Yorker, 22 (December
1946), p.76-79, or 82-86, also reprinted in
Wonderful Town: New York Stories from the
New Yorker, David Remnick (N.Y.: Random
House, 2000).
An
early version of a scene in "Catcher in the
Rye". The story follows Holden when he is home
from Pency and goes to the movies, then skating
with Sally. Followed by his drunken calls to
her apartment late at night.
"A
Young Girl in 1941 with No Waist at All"
Mademoiselle 25 (May 1947),p.222-223,292-302.
Set
on a cruise ships final voyage to Havana just
prior to its conversion to use in WWII as a
transport. The story involves a crew member
falling in love with a engaged girl, and their
relationship on board.
"The
Inverted Forest" Cosmopolitan (December
1947), p.73-109, also reprinted in Cosmopolitan
Diamond Jubilee Issue, March 1961, p.111-132.
Another
one of Salinger's stories dealing with a great
author who is corrupted and prevented from his
artistic calling by the negative influence of
other people. One of Salinger's longer magazine
pieces.
"A
Girl I Knew" Good Housekeeping 126 (February
1948), p.37,186-196.
Set
in pre-WWII Vienna this is a story dealing with
an American in Vienna before the war who falls
in love with a Jewish girl. On his return to
Vienna as a American soldier during the war,
he seeks out the girl only to find she has been
killed by the Nazis.
"Blue
Monday" Cosmopolitan, CXXV (September, 1948),
p.50-51,112-119.
A
story of Jazz and segregation, this story follows
a promising Jazz singer as her career climbs,
only to have it end when her appendicitis bursts,
and no hospital will treat her.
"Hapworth
16, 1924" New Yorker, (June 19, 1965), p.32-113
This
story was supposed to be published in 1997 as
the first new "book" of Salinger since "Raise
High the Roofbeam, Carpenters" and "Seymour:
An Introduction in 1963, but it has yet to occur.
Originally published in the New Yorker the story
is a long letter from Seymour to his parents
from him at camp where he and Buddy are staying
for the summer. Seymour shows himself an extremely
precocious 7 year old. The letter is composed
of Seymour's opinions of various topics, including
his parents, Buddy, and also his request for
reading material while at the camp.
Man
Forsaken Men New York Post Magazine(Wednesday,
December 9, 1959)
One
of the few instances where Salinger seeks out
an audience for his views. He wrote this editorial
to the NY Post Magazine in order to protest
the situation of a life sentence inmates in
the New York prison system, and there being
no chance for parole to their sentences.
Salinger,
Margaret Dream Catcher: A Memoir (New
York: Washington Square Press, 2000).
Margaret
Salinger's memoir deals mostly with the relationship
between her and her father. She does give us
a better picture of the day to day life of J.D.
Salinger. While the book does not paint him
as the perfect parent, it does show instances
of a truly caring father, who given his own
issues, seemed to try to be a good parent. Unfortunately,
the book also shows some of the disturbing aspects
of Salinger and his dealings with other people.
Maynard,
Joyce At Home in the World: A Memoir
(New York: Picador USA, 1998).
This
book's primary interest is Joyce Maynard's contact
with J.D. Salinger, though the some other facets
of her life are also dealt with. Maynard sheds
a different light on Salinger's personality,
unlike other views available in other biographies.
Maynard discusses her short lived romance with
Salinger, and it's abrupt end. If one wishes
to maintain the myth of Salinger as a Holdenesque
character, this book might be somewhat disturbing,
and makes him utterly human, and almost disappointing
in his treatment of other people.
Hamilton,
Ian In Search of J.D. Salinger (New York:
Random House, 1988)
In
Search of J.D. Salinger is Hamilton's revised
effort at a Salinger biography without the use
of quotes from Salinger's letters. Even without
the quotes, the book is a very interesting,
if not slightly bitter, view of Salinger's life.
Hamilton sought out classmates of Salinger at
all levels of his education.
Hamilton,
Ian J.D. Salinger: A Writing Life (New
York: Random House, 1986)
This
was Hamilton's initial attempt of a biography
Salinger's life. Hamilton used quotes from letters
Salinger wrote to during WWII to Whit Burnett,
his first publisher, and various other friends.
Before publication, Salinger sued Hamilton on
the basis of copyright infringement, stating
that the letters were still his, and fair use
did not allow their inclusion in a book without
his consent. Ultimately the case ended up being
turned down by the U.S. Supreme Court, causing
the lower court ruling to stand, prohibiting
Hamilton from using the letters in his book.
Though
not widely available, some Advanced Proof copies
of this book can be found for sale, or at a
limited number of libraries. All the research
material Hamilton used in the book can be found
at Princeton
University's Firestone Library.
The book itself is interesting, though not overly
threatening to exposing the person of Salinger.
If anything, it makes Salinger human, and a
more sympathetic character. Other than traveling
to the various libraries housing Salinger's
letters, this book provides the best glimpse
of a artist, and man as he comes to maturity
both emotionally and as a writer.
Alexander,
Paul Salinger: A Biography (Los Angeles:
Renaissance Books 1999).
Alexander's biography incorporates new information
made possible by Hamilton's court battles with
Salinger to shed new insights on Salinger's
life, including information on his divorce from
Claire Douglass in 1967.
Harold
Bloom J.D. Salinger (New York: Chelsea
House, 1987), and Henry Anatole Grunwald Salinger:
A Critical and Personal Portrait (New York:
Harper & Row, 1962).
Both
books collect many short articles by different
authors on Salinger's writings. Included in
the Grunwald book is the Time magazine article
published in 1961 meant to accompany the release
of "Franny and Zooey". Even now the Time article
is one of the best sources of biographical information
on Salinger.
French,
Warren J.D. Salinger, Revised Edition
(Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1976)
Twayne's
United States Author Series, #40. This is a
revised version of an earlier book by French.
There is a short biographical sketch introducing
the book, followed by in depth analysis of Salinger's
published works, including the uncollected short
stories.
The Second World War was the most pivotal event of the 20th century, and to those who participated, like Salinger, their lives were changed irrevocably. The following books mirror Salinger's participation during the war, and will help give greater insight into his combat experiences.
Ambrose,
Stephen E. D-Day: June 6, 1944: The Climactic
Battle of World War II (New York: Simon
& Schuster, 1994).
Ambrose uses extensive oral histories of the
participating soldiers to illustrate the planning
and completion of the most important battle
of the Second World War. D-Day was the starting
point to the end of Hitler's rule over Europe,
giving the allies a presence on mainland Europe
again.
Ambrose,
Stephen E. Citizen Soldiers: The U.S. Army
from the Normandy Beaches to the Bulge to the
Surrender of Germany, June 7, 1944-May 7, 1945
(New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997)
This is a very readable history of the American
military presence in the European Theatre of
Operation from the day following D-Day to the
end of the war in Europe. Ambrose uses oral
histories of WWII veterans experiences to bring
to life the tactical movements of the American
Army as it moved to free Europe from Nazi rule.
Johnson,
Colonel Gerden F. History of the Twelfth
Infantry Regiment in World War II (1947)
This is a 4th Division regimental history of
the Second World War. Col. Johnson was one of
the commanders of the regiment during it's campaigns.
This book tends to delve deeper into the organizational
structure of the regiment and it's movements.
The book doesn't do a great job of painting
a picture of what the combat was like, but is
informative with regards to military organization.
Movies and Video Documentaries
My
Foolish Heart (1949)
The first, and
only, movie Salinger allowed to be made based
upon one of his stories. It stars Robert Keith,
Dana Andrews, and Susan Hayward. The movie is
loosely based on the story Uncle Wiggily
in Connecticut.
J.D.
Salinger Doesn't Want to Talk (BBC, Films
for the Humanities, 2000)
This is an interesting video documentary done
for the BBC. It included video footage of Salinger,
and his home in Cornish. The video adds a visual
record to the J.D. Salinger mythology.
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