Subject: Rashomon Salinger
From: citycabn (citycabn@gateway.net)
Date: Mon Oct 23 2000 - 12:14:55 GMT
Paul K. wrote:
>OSR--How many Jeromes are there? More to the point, how do you reconcile
>the Salinger so fondly invoked in Bruce's "fair use" quotation (was that
all
>there was about JDS? Or were you confining yourself strickly to the legal
>limits?) with the monster emerging from all these kiss-and-tell bios?
Fair use be damned, here's what's left re JDS in the Ross book:
"One writer for whom I have the deepest respect and admiration is J. D.
Salinger. He has never been publicly hostile to other writers or joined in
any of the self-serving publicity and game-playing politics that seem to be
rather generic in the literary world. For some reason, it takes almost
superhuman strength of character and purpose these days to do what Salinger
seems to do: he stays put and writes. Instead of eliciting praise for his
lonely and courageous course, he has been put down, sniped at, attacked by
some other writers, and resented for not joining in the fray. He has also
been resented for passing up what is 'everything' to some writers--all the
way from the obligatory appearances on television talk shows to the
zillion-dollar sale of a book to Hollywood. Some writers may yearn for
these perks. There are practical rationalizations for all of them. What I
don't understand is why some writers will not accept the fact that J. D.
Salinger may not *want* what *they* want. He is such a unique and powerful
and funny writer. Like Marlon Brando, he is also a rare figure among all
artists. On the human side, Salinger has, among other things, managed to do
what so many (apparently necessarily) self-centered others have failed to
do--that is, to be a solid and responsible parent to his children."
In 1966, she wanted to adopt a baby from Norway. She writes:
"Bill [Shawn] and Jerry Salinger and my gynecologist and my internist and
his wife went in a merry band to the Norwegian Consulate and testified about
my worthiness to be a mother."
Shawn and Salinger "officially became Erik's godfathers".
On page 187 there is a photo of a c. 10-month-old baby held by a smiling
Jerry Salinger seated on a floral sofa in Ross's apartment. The caption
reads: "Erik liked being held by Jerry Salinger".
"When it comes to writing, along with what Bill taught me, I've learned the
most from Salinger. He's one of the best we've ever had."
(I'm not taking sides here, I'm just running a clipping service.)
--Bruce
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