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R.I.P. J.D. Salinger

I really can’t think of a better way to eulogize J.D. Salinger than to post Maurice Sagoff’s poetic summary of Salinger’s most famous novel:School was crummy,Classmates mean,Holden Caulfield,Aged sixteen, Dropped out to the New York scene.There he wandered,Sorrow’s son,Overgrown,But underdone,Scorned by girls…it wasn’t fun.Broke, disheartened,Home he slid,Sister Phoebe,(Perky kid),Bouyed him up, she really did.Only for theMoment, though:Down the skidsAlas, he’ll goLanding in a shrink chateau.Ah, what tormentMust be hisWho GoddamnsBut feels Gee Whiz!Youth is rough — it really is.As a side note, Sagoff’s Shrinklits is brilliant, and much more useful than Cliff’s Notes.

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