“I’m the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It’s awful. If I’m on my way to the store to buy a magazine, even, and somebody asks me where I’m going, I’m liable to say I’m going to the opera. It’s terrible.”
Holden Caulfield
Twenty five years after reading this from the pages of my brother’s “The Catcher in the Rye,” I still remember it. How do you like that? I had to look up the exact wording and all, but for the most part, it’s stamped on my mind forever. I don’t even know why exactly, maybe it is that voice, the way it was irreverent, bitchy, sad and rambling all at the same time–the way J.D Salinger told a story resonated with me like no other author.
“The Catcher in the Rye” was the first book I ever fell in love with; that I carried around with me everywhere; that I underlined phrases and remarks in order to memorized them so I could use them later on my friends as my own; that inspired me write stories down and relentlessly staple them to my “real” homework and turn them in to hapless English teacher.
J.D Salinger died today at the age of 91-freakin’ years old. Not bad. Leave it to The Onion to write this in his honor “Bunch of Phonies Mourn J.D. Salinger.” Seems appropriate.
(Image from The Changing Hands Bookstore.)
You say it so much better than I could. 🙂
Perfect tribute. He would have been so goddamn proud of you.
He did have a certain, um, ‘in your face’ kind of voice. Very talented.
Love the Onion piece!!
RIP guy.
I’ve known a few Holden’s in my life….what an intriguing man he was…
Bunch of phonies pretending to care about some lousy author kicking the bucket.
I’ve never read a single JD Salinger book. But reading this makes me want to read The Catcher in the Rye, right now.
Beautiful tribute. It’s amazing the impact that books can have on us, especially during our formative years.
Totally off-subject, but you weren’t at Disneyland w/your daughter on Friday, by chance…. were you?
I’ve read that book so many times at different points in my life. The thing is, every time I read it I get something different out of it. Brilliant piece of writing.
I like his short stories best. Truly an American genius