Nondescript bookcovers and Sappho
Michael Zabel (MPZABEL@holycross.edu)
Wed, 08 Oct 1997 12:01:14 -0400
J.D. likes his book covers to be unornamental - it's actually
his preference and possibly his contractual demand. If it
wasn't, I imagine we'd be seeing on Catcher's cover a
ruddy-cheeked Holden trapising through Central Park, where
a cute little duck pond is subtly positioned in the corner....
As far as RHTRB,C - I am a student of Greek lyric poetry
and just came across the poem that inspired, no, gave the
story its title. RHTRBC is a direct translation of Sappho 111,
and Sappho 111 happens to be part of a wedding hymn
which mentions the bride marrying a tall, skinny man (sound
Seymour-esque?)
There's another interesting Sappho reference somewhere early
on in F&Z, too, I think....