If there's one thing that greatly contributes to my so-called coming of age, it would be this book. I found this 1960's printing when I was 15 in one of the dark and abandoned shelves in our high school library. The exact same printing as this image. For me it was just one of those books that you take home for the weekend. I was trying my best to hit the classics for some "mature" reading to impress the teachers :). Little did I know that one piece of writing could change your general outlook in life. I guess, I just found it at the right time otherwise I wouldn't appreciate it as much.
It wasn't all too dramatic and glorified though. It really didn't take me to plot some murder of a rock legend (i.e. Mark Chapman - the man who shot John Lennon who was found reading a copy while waiting for the cops). Take this piece as a big understatement of how I owe so much to J.D Salinger for finding a broken piece in my life. It helped me to regain my strength and just be contented of who I am cause it's my life anyway. I wanted to believe I can write then and hell, I am going to pursue it. But it all changed when I went to college, but this will be another story.
After reading this, I became a huge fan of the author. I looked him up in the encyclopedias (there was no internet yet then) and good thing he's indeed a live person. This wasn't part of our assigned reading in high school so I researched on my own and didn't get so much information though. I read in Esquire later that he went on a long sabbatical in his own house until now. He knew he was popular but well he did not really acknowledge it. He wasn't used to all the fame and glory. He was just not the type who was too happy to be in the New York Times bestsellers and signing autographs here and there. He assumed a quiet life maybe because he didn't want to become a sellout. Or a phony, he would say.
From my used-books hunting, I found 2 out of 4 titles credited to him. All in early editions, I may boast. I have (or had) "Raise High the Roof beam, Carpenters with Seymour an Introduction" and "Franny and Zooey". I never bought the recent edtions "Nine Stories" being sold in the book stores right now. I still cross my fingers everytime I chance upon garage sales and previously owned book stores. As for "Catcher in the Rye", did I return this on its due date? Take a guess... :)
