The Catcher in the Rye

Born Jerome David Salinger on January 1, 1919, he was an American writer best known for his 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye. Prior to its publication, Salinger published several short stories in Story magazine and served in World War II. In 1948, his famous story "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" appeared in The New Yorker, which published many of his subsequent works. The Catcher in the Rye was an instant popular success. Salinger's portrayal of teenage alienation and the loss of innocence in protagonist Holden Caulfield has been supported, especially among teenage readers. The novel was widely read and was controversial, and its success led to public interest and scrutiny. Salinger became a reclusive, less frequent publisher. Catcher followed with a collection of short stories, Nine Stories (1953); Franny & Zoe (1961), volume containing a novel and a short story; and a volume containing two novels, Raising the Ceiling Beam High, The Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction (1963). Salinger's last published work, the novel "Hapworth 16, 1924," appeared in The New Yorker on June 19, 1965. After that, Salinger struggled with unwanted attention, including a legal battle in the 1980s with biographer Ian Hamilton and his publication in late 1990s from memoirs written by two people close to him: Joyce Maynard, a former lover; and daughter Margaret Salinger.