Re: Salinger's silence


Subject: Re: Salinger's silence
From: Kevin Shea (kshea@injersey.com)
Date: Tue Feb 18 1997 - 21:25:03 GMT


>Hello I am new to this but felt a need to reply. Why is it that we must
>connect the author's personal life to his work? Do we evaluate all art
>based on the personal life of the artist? If that be the case the poetry of
>Ezra Pound would be thrown because of the link to facism. The work of
>Sylvia Plath would be tossed because she committed suicide with her kids
>upstairs. While we are at it lets pitch Hemingway because he put a shotgun
>to his forehead.

Kevin Shea response to above:

Good point. Salingers personal life should not impact the reputation of his
work. However!

Some things to think about, Salinger had a very "normal" writing life until
1965. He was a veteran, he wrote, he published, he traveled, married, was
accessible etc. Then, bam! he retreats to NH and cuts off all ties to his
work and career. OK, his life, right?

In a way, yes.

But after publishing an incredible novel at age 32 and being basically the
rookie of the year of post war literature you can not be expected to be left
alone by the press or your admirers, forever, until the story is told.

Hemingway was unordinary, but surfaced here and there, and also killed
himself to close that story. Artists lead bizarre lives, but Salingers is by
far the best untold story.

Salingers personal story could be his best, it could be better than any book
he could ever write, and I believe he knows it, and is saving it for last.

     Kevin Shea
Asbury Park, New Jersey

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