J D Salinger

Dang it, we just lost another literary light- JD Salinger has passed away.

Say what you want about him, he planted himself as a fixture in the American literary world. His "Catcher in the Rye" remains a classic tale, THE classic tale of disaffected youth. His short stories were gems. And so we are poorer still for his passing.

There are at least two books by women who did not say good things about him. One was by a daughter, another by a lover. One had to put up with him, the other chose to. I'm not one of those who think that artists, however good at what they do, get carte blanche for acting like a complete jerk to people who love them. Ah well, he's gone, and let's remember the work he left behind.

Although I still don't forgive Holden for losing the fencing team's equipment. What a dipstick!