Jerome David Salinger - Biography and Works

Jerome David Salinger, one of the most famous American writers of the 20th century, is a novelist and short story writer. Here is the biography and works of Jerome David Salinger...

Born:           January 01, 1919, New York, USA

Died:           January 27, 2010 (age 91), Cornish-New Hampshire, USA

Profession:  Novel and short story writer

Nationality:  American (USA)

Jerome David Salinger, was born on January 1, 1919 in New York City. Known for his reclusive nature, Salinger made a profound impact on literature with his works, particularly his iconic novel "The Catcher in the Rye."

Salinger grew up in Manhattan, the second child of a Jewish father and a Scotch-Irish mother. His father, Sol Salinger, was a successful importer of kosher cheese, while his mother, Miriam Jillich Salinger, worked as a fashion saleswoman. As a child, Salinger showed an early interest in writing and literatüre.

After attending various preparatory schools, Salinger entered the Valley Forge Military Academy in 1934. Following his time at the academy, Salinger attended New York University, where he continued to explore his writing skills.

In 1941, at the age of 22, Salinger began his writing career in earnest. He published his first short story, "The Young Folks," in Story magazine, which was well-received. This initial success fueled his determination to become a professional writer.

He joined the American army in 1942 after the United States entered World War II. He worked in the department where German and French detainees were interrogated in the Normandy camp.

Salinger's wartime experiences profoundly impacted his writing and his outlook on life. The horrors of war deeply affected him, and he witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of violence and human suffering. These experiences would later shape his distinctive literary voice.

After the war, Salinger continued to write short stories for various literary magazines. In 1948, he achieved significant recognition with the publication of "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" in The New Yorker.

However, it was Salinger's novel "The Catcher in the Rye" that brought him enduring fame. Published in 1951, the novel revolves around the character of Holden Caulfield, a disillusioned and alienated teenager navigating the complexities of adolescence and adulthood. Holden's rebellious spirit and disdain for societal conventions resonated deeply with readers, making the novel an instant classic.

"The Catcher in the Rye" catapulted Salinger into the literary spotlight. However, the sudden fame and attention troubled him, and he grew increasingly reclusive. Salinger withdrew from public life and avoided the media, granting only rare interviews. Despite Salinger's reclusive nature, his impact on literature and his influence on subsequent generations of writers cannot be overstated.

Salinger's subsequent works, including the novellas "Franny and Zooey" (1961) and "Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction" (1963), further explored the themes of alienation, spirituality, and the search for authenticity.

Jerome David Salinger passed away on January 27, 2010, leaving behind a lasting literary legacy.

List of Works

Books

• The Catcher in the Rye (1951)
• Nine Stories (1953)
• Franny and Zooey (1961)
• Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction (1963)

Collected short stories

• Three Early Stories (2014)
• The Complete Uncollected Short Stories of JD Salinger, Vol. 1&2 (1974)

Published stories

• The The Hang of It (1941)
• The Heart of a Broken Story (1941)
• Personal Notes of an Infantryman (1942)
• The Varioni Brothers (1943)
• Soft-Boiled Sergeant (1944)
• Last Day of the Last Furlough (1944)
• Elaine (1945)
• I'm crazy (1945)
• A Young Girl in 1941 with No Waist at All (1947)
• The Inverted Forest (1947)
• Blue Melody (1948)
• Hapworth 16, 1924 (1965)

JD Salinger did not publish any work after the story "Hapworth 16, 1924", which appeared in the New Yorker magazine in 1965.

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