J.D. Salinger, author of
The Catcher in the Rye, passed away yesterday, January 27th, at the age of 91. In honor of the author who wrote one of the best-selling novels of the 20th century, here are 5 random facts about J.D. Salinger.
- J.D. Salinger published The Catcher in the Rye in 1951. It is the only novel he ever published.
- Salinger did not enjoy the notoriety he received after publishing The Catcher in the Rye. So, he moved to Cornish, New Hampshire in 1953 where he lived in seclusion for the next 57 years.
- Over 65 million copies of The Catcher in the Rye have been sold in the 59 years since its publication, making it one of the top 20 bestselling books in history.
- Similar to Kurt Vonnegut, another of my favorite authors, Salinger fought in World War II. He was part of the Normandy landing at Utah Beach and took part in the Battle of the Bulge.
- Salinger once dated Oona O'Neill, the daughter of playwright and Nobel laureate Eugene O'Neill. They parted ways in 1941, and O'Neill went on to marry Charlie Chaplin.
Bonus: James Stern of
The New York Times gave
The Catcher in the Rye a negative review back in 1951. Unfortunately, it is a paid link so I don't know why he didn't like it. However, judging by it's title, "Aw, the World's a Crumby Place," Stern may not have liked the tone of the novel. Anyone with a subscription to the NYT care to take a gander then come back and tell us about it?
