With Love and Squalor: 14 Writers Respond to the Work of J.D. Salinger Review

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With Love and Squalor: 14 Writers Respond to the Work of J.D. Salinger ReviewIt was a pleasure to see a book published about J.D. Salinger's writing as opposed to a tell-all about the famous recluse. The editors sent the call out to young (or youngish) writers for their take on JDS.
Essays by Walter Kirn and Renee Steinke were delightful views of meeting up with Holden Caulfield from an entirely different background than the New York, prep, affluent Salinger character. Mr. Kirn hails from a small town in MN and thought of Holden as a dashing sophisticated fellow while Ms. Steinke is a preacher's daughter from Friendswood, TX and saw Holden as a fellow outsider. These were fond and enlightening essays that showed "Catcher in the Rye" was without boundaries.
Lucinda Rosenfeld's "The Trouble With Franny" takes an in-depth look at Franny Glass and how perceptions change when rereading as an adult. John McNally does an excellent job in discussing and illustrating the minor characters in JDS's work and how perfect the brevity and broad brush make even once-mentioned characters memorable. Co-editor Thomas Beller made me think about what it's like to live in "Salinger Weather," a closely reasoned, brilliant piece written with brio! Jane Mendelsohn has an achingly sensitive article, "Holden Caulfield: A Love Story," about how her first take on Holden was a romantic crush, but deepened into a bemused love as she gradually saw the tragedy and despair of Holden.
According to the Introduction, the writers were given carte blanche. Herein lies a problem. Some of the essayists took this to mean a great deal of talk about themselves with the merest nod to J. D. Salinger. One contribution was a fairish "New Yorker" type short story that had the heroine carrying a copy of "Franny & Zooey" as the sole link that I could see to the author. Another most unpleasant young lady was very proud of being young (a temporary condition at best), and allowed as to how she might give Holden a go.
As all the writers are professionals, I was unhappy with the amount of self-indulgence displayed in some (but not all) of the articles. Almost all of the writers were introduced to Salinger as required reading in the 8th or 9th grade. Perhaps that is part of the problem. Discovery by oneself is a much more powerful way to meet a new author, and your insights are your own.
The five excellent essays and a couple more I would rate as good workmanlike jobs make "With Love and Squalor" a good choice for a true Salinger lover.With Love and Squalor: 14 Writers Respond to the Work of J.D. Salinger Overview

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Tea and Sympathy Review

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Tea and Sympathy ReviewRobert Anderson's 1953 drama in three acts proves a powerful indictment against macho prejudice, as well as a subtle warning to society to accept the "off-horse" with humane tolerance. Set in a boys' boarding school in New England the story unfolds in the home of a teacher (master), middle-aged Bill Reynolds, who revels in his residents' athletic prowess. Laura, his 24-year old bride, gradually realizes that he is not the same, vulnerable man whom she met and fell in love with in Italy. He seems to prefer the masculine company of the guys to spending
quality time with her. Her only friend, Lilly, is also a former actress, but this gal revels in the lascivious attention of the junior jocks.
Tom, one of the boys in this house, is just 17, sensitive by nature and lonely in the extreme, totally out of place with the butch fellows who sport crew cuts. To further emphasize Tom's not fitting in, tho he is a tennis star in his own right, he prefers poetry and playing women's roles in amateur theatricals. When he is "seen" at a beach in the buff with another master, rumors abound that he is gay; he is suddenly the butt of nasty thoughts, snide remarks and social ostracism.
As the wife of a master Laura is merely expected to offer tea and sympathy to the resident boys in her home--to set a genteel tone in the parlor. But something about Tom arouses more than her sympathy; escalating to fascination and ultimately desire--on both sides. In order
to counter the ugly rumors about his being homosexual---based on the flimsiest of proof--Tom rashly makes a date with a trampy girl, hoping to get a reputation as a regular guy. The scheme backfires to the boy's mortification. Equally eager to establish his manhood Laura takes matters into her own hands, but how far will she go to soothe his ego? Either way his reputation is shattered and he faces expulsion, at least from the House, if the not the school itself. As a dramatic stroke of genius it is the climax of literary irony that the very youth who is scorned for being gay, has a secret affair with the wife of his tormentor. Insightful and thought-provoking contemporary reading.
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