Angie, may I have permission to quote your marvelous email--your first two lines seem as wise to me as anything said about reading mr. salinger's words. I know you may have felt put off by helena's outburst, but I think your poetry and thoughts are truly at the center of the spirit of this list and appreciate you being here...very much! will On Fri, 5 Jun 1998 Prufrock33@aol.com wrote: > Salinger was the first writer that made me feel comfortable as a reader. When > I turned the page it was not to finish a book, but to understand a person. I > always believed that Salinger's genius (if you want to call it that...I do) > stems not from who or what he wrote or how he wrote, even. It is from all of > the above. Even those without the exceptional backgrounds of the characters he > uses in his stories can appreciate their honesty. I think that eastern thought > is definitely expressed in his work because of it's raw veracity in the > simpliest (but, yet, very complex) terms. AFter I read Franny and Zooey I > decided to pass out and wake up her. I always felt her ways. I always felt > Holden's ways. We all have. We all have been wanting/needing to get past the > bullshit and the "phonies" because God knows Salinger's fictional characters > hated those "phonies". We never want to wake up one morning in some blankets > and find that our terrible insecurties are in bed right beside of us. We never > want to say we are like Them, even if we do not know who They may be. Maybe > this is just me...I hope not. I would like to think that almost everyone (if > not everyone) breathes not for the sake of breathing but because they feel > obscenely beautiful just to be alive. > > Let's talk about Punk rock, let's talk about poetry, let's talk about eastern > thought and tattoos, and being born, and smoking cigars. Not to sound too > absolutely giddy and romantic and silly, but I do not care enough to mail > unless I want to say something. I think we all do. So let's talk and talk and > if Salinger comes up then wonderful...if he doesn't for awhile then he > doesn't. That is maybe what e-mail subjects were designed for, to announce > beforehand. > > I just want to share...don't you? > > I hope someone out there agrees with me. I know you all got something from > Salinger...he gives something honest and free out to all his readers...but do > not be uptight about it. We aren't here for any damn (in my opinon) RULES or > GUIDELINES but if things flow well then we can do whatever and maybe we can > enjoy this ride? I don't mean to sound cliched. I appologize to all that have > had to read my incessant ramblings and poetry. I just do not have much of a > voice and I cannot imagine that the people on this list do not...so I wanted > to say something aloud to people I hoped would understand. > > Maybe I am wrong...maybe it doesn't matter enough. > > I just want to do something beautiful...like Franny says the poets do or are > supposed to do. I just want everyone to see something wonderful and I want to > be as honest as Salinger. Who thinks what and how...and if you do please > respond and tell me if I am off on an island all to my self and I should come > back to earth. (My world seems much prettier I must say...and the people here > are nicer) > > ANgie >