J.D. Salinger, born Jerome David Salinger, was an American author best known for his novel, 'The Catcher in the Rye' (1951). He was born in New York City on January 1, 1919. Salinger's writing talent became evident while he was in McBurney School, a private school in Manhattan. He began writing short stories during his time there and continued to publish several stories in the early 1940s before serving in World War II.
Salinger's works, most notably 'The Catcher in the Rye,' often explore the themes of troubled, sensitive adolescents. The novel, which was initially intended for an adult audience, became popular among young adults due to its themes of teenage angst, confusion, and rebellion. The character Holden Caulfield, who first appeared in the short story 'Slight Rebellion off Madison,' became a cultural icon for disenchanted youth. 'The Catcher in the Rye' has been widely read and remains controversial, selling a quarter-million copies a year.
Following the success of 'The Catcher in the Rye,' Salinger published a short story collection, 'Nine Stories' (1953), and two novellas, 'Franny and Zooey' (1961) and 'Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction' (1963). His last published work, a novella titled 'Hapworth 16, 1924,' appeared in The New Yorker on June 19, 1965.
Despite his literary success, Salinger was known for his reclusive nature. He lived most of his life trying to escape public attention and scrutiny, publishing new work less frequently and eventually giving his last interview in 1980. Salinger's desire for privacy led to legal battles, including a dispute with biographer Ian Hamilton in the 1980s and the release of memoirs by his ex-lover, Joyce Maynard, and his daughter, Margaret Salinger, in the late 1990s.
Salinger passed away at his home in Cornish, New Hampshire, on January 27, 2010, due to natural causes. He was 91 years old.
Standalone Novels
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
The Catcher in the Rye
1951
Short Story Collections
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
Nine Stories
1953
2
For Esmé - with Love and Squalor
1953
3
Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour
1955
4
Franny and Zooey
1961
The Last Interview Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
Learning to Live Finally
2005
2
Roberto Bolaño: The Last Interview: And Other Conversations
2009
3
Kurt Vonnegut: The Last Interview
2011
4
Jorge Luis Borges
2012
5
Hannah Arendt: The Last Interview and Other Conversations
2013
6
James Baldwin: The Last Interview: and other Conversations
2014
7
Ray Bradbury: The Last Interview
2014
8
Gabriel García Márquez
2015
9
Lou Reed
2015
10
Ernest Hemingway
2015
11
Nora Ephron: The Last Interview
2015
12
Philip K. Dick
2015
13
J. D. Salinger
2016
14
Oliver Sacks
2016
15
Jane Jacobs
2016
16
David Bowie
2016
17
Martin Luther King, Jr.: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations
2017
18
Christopher Hitchens
2017
19
Hunter S. Thompson
2018
20
Kathy Acker: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations
2018
21
Julia Child: The Last Interview and Other Conversations
2018
22
Ursula K. Le Guin: The Last Interview and Other Conversations
2019
23
Graham Greene: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations
2019
24
Toni Morrison: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations
2020
25
Frida Kahlo: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations
2020
26
Shirley Chisholm: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations
2021
27
Fred Rogers: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations
2021
28
Johnny Cash: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations
2021
29
John Lewis: The Last Interview and Other Conversations
2021
30
Janet Malcolm: The Last Interview: And Other Conversations
2022
31
Kurt Cobain: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations
2022
32
bell hooks: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations
2023
33
Octavia E. Butler: The Last Interview: and Other Conversations