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Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind
Well, I didn't read him until I was 40, but as far as High School juniors....whatever.
" The Royal Tannenbaums " is very much Nine Stories and Franny and Zooey.
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sorry, i wasn't trying to make a dig with the high school juniors comment -- i just remember very well being one and watching everyone fall in love with salinger when they read "catcher.." and thought they had sort of discovered the key to misfit life through his characters -- and then hearing from my new english teacher friend how that phenomenon was not exclusive to my class in high school. they generally have the most excitement and passion for him, even though they generally don't understand the big picture of his works, and that commentaries are not endorsements per se.
i've had the RT conversation with literally dozens of people in the last few years, all who are appalled that i didn't like it. they then immediately move to show me that i didn't LIKE it because i didn't UNDERSTAND it, which is not quite true. it's more that understanding it and finding it bland are not mutually exclusive ideas.