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RIP JD Salinger

2010-01-28 · reading · John · 1:16 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Books & writing · mode: News analysis · tags: timely hook, heavy topic

On J. D. Salinger's death, John briefly leaves paternity leave to read Holden's 'catcher in the rye' speech to Phoebe from The Catcher in the Rye, then answers Holden: it wasn't crazy, and that is what Salinger was for millions of readers.

What is said

The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).

00:00:00 — Reading from The Catcher in the Rye: Holden and Phoebe on 'If a body catch a body' and the field of rye

  • ★★★ John reads, in tribute to Salinger, the passage of The Catcher in the Rye where Holden tells Phoebe what he would like to be: the catcher in the rye. — 00:00:00
  • ★★ Holden Caulfield: In the passage, Holden pictures thousands of little kids playing in a field of rye by a cliff, with him catching anyone about to go over. (fiction) — 00:00:00

00:00:33 — Reading ends ('I'd just be the catcher in the rye'); John's tribute: it wasn't crazy, that's what you were for millions of us; rest in peace

  • ★★★ John answers Holden's 'I know it's crazy': it wasn't crazy, and that is what 'you' were for millions of us; he thanks him and says rest in peace. — 00:00:33

In the description and comments

  • ★★★ The description says Salinger died today at the age of 91. — video description
  • ★★★ In the description John says that, like all novelists who write about teenagers, he owes Salinger an immense debt, for Holden Caulfield and for the portraits of the Glass family. — video description
  • ★★ Having made the video, John says in the description that he immediately returns to paternity leave. — video description
  • ★ John thanks viewers for their kind wishes for young Henry, 'who is made of awesome'. — video description · Henry Green, made of awesome

Mentioned

Central: J. D. Salinger · The Catcher in the Rye

Only in the description or credits: Glass family · Henry Green · Holden Caulfield · made of awesome

Also centred on J. D. Salinger: Should I Salinger…

Also centred on The Catcher in the Rye: Don't Suck on That Bone · OMFG CATCHER IN THE RYE!!! · Catcher in the Rye, Part 1 · The Catcher in the Rye, Part 2 · still learning

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