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SALINGER: A Critical Portrait by Henry Anatole-Ed. Grunwald

SALINGER: A Critical Portrait

By

Pub Date: June 20th, 1962
Publisher: Harper

Depth mining in the Salinger lode, this trains big and little guns on an extraordinary literary manifestation of our times, in a collection of articles -- hostile and friendly -- about the man and his work. The editor in his introduction annotates the variety of meanings that critics find in him which is proof in itself of the way in which he compels imagination, and poses the question whether he may not be ideologized or footnoted to death. Each inclusion has an editorial preface so that all points of the arguments, pro and con, may be easily studied, as they go from psycho criticism (Jacobsen, Barr, Wakefield, Hicks) to baiting (Krim, Leitch, Kapp, Steiner) and through the considerations of Kazin, Updike, Geismar and Fiedler. Others in their various ways underline the indelible effect of Salinger, whether they work with his earliest stories, follow the development of his characters, are part of the ""Glass club"", or confine themselves to innumerable comparisons. There is even an article on the language of The Catcher in the Rye. Whether it's definite irritation at -- or dedication to the ""consecration"" of Salinger, here is the full round of approaches to one who has also been called the ""laureate of the young"". A handbook for his cult, for literature studies and classes, this will be of interest in its current comprehensive coverage.