hello all... i'm bethany. i'm more usefully known as sonikska@aol.com. i love jd salinger because he presents a certain spirituality and intellectual brilliance without being at all intellectual or terrible. he has aided in my spiritual development immensely...i can't spell, and when i talk about things i love, my syntax is a little convoluted. i apologize. i was introduced to salinger's work when i was in the 8th grade, by a friend of mine; we fancied ourselves quite the intellectuals, toting our copies of nine stories. the next year, when my couselor suggested i see a psychaitrist, i was able to terminate my sessions within a month by taking on the persona of teddy, and convincing her i was indeed quite 'normal'...that my lack of emotion toward my parents and other stimuli was merely the result of an intellect too developed for my own capactities. of course, i was lying. but i succeeded in getting out of the psychiatric system... regardless, about me...i've read F&Z, nine stories, catcher, and seymour... i am fascinated by his characters and their reality; the zen. cliche: yes, i own a copy of 'the way of a pilgrim'. i think that all of his characters, particularily the glass family, have influenced my development as a person, because i read his books so much in high school... i've really nothing to say...i write. i draw. i'm a gymnast, too...i love to read, i can see the color green and i know that everyone out there is seymour's fat lady. i'm majoring in english. i'm glad this list exists, although i may not be a regular contributor, i'd love to hear the opinions of everyone on the salinger-issues... i know this wasn't supposed to be this long, i'm terrible with these things anyway... --bethany