introduction and queries

Rebecca McCallum (remc@uhura.cc.rochester.edu)
Thu, 10 Jul 1997 10:36:06 -0400 (EDT) 

Hello fellow -fishers, 
  I've been "lurking" on the list for quite some time now, happily reading
everyone else's thoughts and reactions, and have finally decided to take
the plunge and write something of my own.  I'm a grad student in
musicology (NOT literature! - oh my goodness), but as any good devotee of
any one branch of the arts, try to keep at least somewhat connected to the
other branches.  Of course, it goes without saying that I'm a Salinger fan
(I almost wrote fanatic, but no, no need to go over the edge).  I wouldn't
be here if I wasn't...
  My question is this (this goes out especially to all of you who are
doing theses, etc., on Salinger works...):  Is there anyone else out there
having trouble doing academic work on something one feels utterly
passionate about?  Every time I approach writing on something I really
love (in music or literature), I suddenly want to protect this piece of
beauty from the long cold fingers of Academia, whose touch sometimes seems
to kill anything it comes into contact with.  Is it possible to work
within the Ivory Tower without being too disheartened by (or, heaven
forbid, even turning into one of) the Mr. Tuppers of the world?  [This
dilemma re Academia is in some ways related to the recent discussion of
Salinger's allusions to / quotes of philosophy, literature, etc.  It must
be possible to be that well-read, thoughtful, and wise, without needing to
be an academic...]
  On a completely different note - I've noticed a lot of reading
recommendations being thrown around (in a good way, by all means), and
thought I'd throw in one of my own:  _Moon Palace_ by Paul Auster.  (As I
said before, I'm no Lit student, so I don't know what Auster's reputation
in the literary world is.  But hey, I don't mind throwing my intellectual
reputation to the dogs, even on first impressions...)  When I read this
book (7 or 8 years ago, in early college), it felt distinctly like a cross
between CITR and _Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance_ - a very
interesting combination!  If anyone else has read it, I'd love to know
what you think.
                                             - Rebecca