Subject: Re: WARREN FRENCH
From: Bernd Wahlbrinck (Bernd.Wahlbrinck@t-online.de)
Date: Mon Aug 06 2001 - 05:12:21 GMT
Will Hochman wrote:
>Bernie, I received kind remarks from Warren French on 19 July
>regarding Chris's and my appearance on "The Talk of the Nation."
>Warren was glad for my remarks countering the idea that TCITR is a
>preppy book...and rightly pointed out that "Actually Salinger has
>held on to an audience, because after WWII, he wasn't interested in
>writing timely stories; he had gotten into the portrayal of a
>condition that transcends timeliness. Eventually, he moved beyond
>where the audience wanted him to go." Not only is Warren French
>alive, he's as strong a Salinger critic as he ever was! I admit I'm
>partial to this critic. His readings of Salinger sing to me as
>sweetly as any I've read, ... will
1. it's good to hear that
2. as for him being "as strong a Salinger critic as he ever was", I'd
like to quote here one of the best passages I've ever read about the
Catcher and certain critics (I hope he doesn't mind):
"Because the word "fuck" appears six times, Catcher has been
countless times condemned as obscene by individuals or groups seeking
to have it censored or removed from public schools or libraries.
Rarely is there any evidence that the self-appointed guardians of
virtue initiating these demands have read the entire novel to learn
the context in which the word appears. The whole effort in itself
only serves to confirm Holden's cheerless perception that people only
notice what they wish; at the same time it provides a depressing
example of people's not recognizing an ally when one appears. Instead
of condemning the novelist for using profane language, those
concerned should come to the defense of the quixotic hero who tries
to rid the world of such outrages and their perpetrators." (French, J
D SALINGER REVISITED, p.42f.)
Bernie
PS Will, would you have his (email) address by any remote chance?
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