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With Love and Squalor: 13 Writers Respond to the Work of J.D. Salinger

kip kotzen thomas beller

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Reading The Catcher in the Rye has become a rite of passage for young Americans, landing the book on bestseller lists (and banned book lists) each year, even though it was published a half century ago. What is it about J. D. Salinger and his body of work that has left such a lasting mark on American fiction? And who better to answer that question than the current generation of writers?

Here are fourteen of the most vital voices in the contemporary American fiction scene pulling no punches in response to a writer who continues to beguile, charm, fascinate, and frustrate generations of readers. Contributors Walter Kirn, Ren? Steinke, Charles D’Ambrosio, Emma Forrest, Aleksander Hemon, Lucinda Rosenfeld, Amy Sohn, John McNally, Karen E. Bender, Thomas Beller, Benjamin Anastas, Aimee Bender, Joel Stein, and Jane Mendelsohn turn themselves inside out as they discuss their personal reactions to reading Salinger classics–not only The Catcher in the Rye but also Franny and Zooey, Raise High the Roofbeams , Carpenters , and the short stories–and explore, with begrudging gratitude, how Salinger helped to form the deepest reaches of their literary imaginations.

208 pages, Paperback

First published October 16,2001

This edition

Format
208 pages, Paperback
Published
October 16, 2001 by Crown
ISBN
9780767907996
ASIN
076790799X
Language
English

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About the author

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kip kotzen

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Rating(3.7 / 5.0, 12 votes)
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12 reviews All reviews
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Daddario123
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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Yes, I did think that I was reading an actual J.D. Salinger novel (the one my mom so highly recommended) when I picked this up hurriedly from the basement storage room before I embarked for New York (you can tell the classical stack I’m listening to is making me feel intellectual). Though this was mostly padding for my reading challenge, a series of analytical takes on the impact of the written word on one’s world perspective did happen to coincide with my own shifting approach to daily life with the start of my gap year.
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FearQuare
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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Kotzen’s mention in the Introduction that the writers were given carte blanche is obvious in the reading. The scope of styles and intentions is broad, ranging from literary analysis to self-reflection. Perhaps my favorite is “Franny and Amy,” by Amy Sohn, a piece I assume is creative non-fiction in the guise of fiction, with consistent allusions to Salinger’s story “Franny.”

Most are easy reads, with at least one of them being overly erudite and occasionally convoluted (I think it was D'Ambrosio's "Salinger and Sobs"). Several of the selections qualify as "meandering," but this doesn't usually decrease enjoyment. Overall, it was fun to read different perspectives on the value and significance of Salinger and to be reminded of details from his four published books. The general consensus acknowledges that Salinger has both value and significance but that these qualities are either limited to a particular period of one’s life or dependent on a re-evaluation that places his weaknesses and the problems with his works alongside their substantial appeal. Additionally, the primary point of discussion/debate regarding Salinger’s work seems to be whether his focus on a child’s world and perspective is worthy of unfettered acclamation or is simply indicative of a lack of writerly and philosophical maturity.

Interestingly, though this collection was published in 2001 and features some of the “most vital voices in the contemporary American fiction scene” at the time (most of them young), I recognized only one name, Jane Mendelsohn. This may reveal more about my knowledge of contemporary American writers than it does about the level of success these writers have gone on to achieve, but I find it curious nonetheless. I haven’t checked to see how their careers developed, but I intend to.
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SNaG21
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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I've loved Salinger since I read The Catcher in the Rye and A Perfect Day for Bananafish and did an assignment where I rewrote the latter in the first person. Salinger's characters are very much alive for me. Their voices are so vivid, so when I stumbled upon this book at my used bookstore I decided to try it even though I don't usually read much outside the realms of fiction.

I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed it. It was light and easy reading, but still thoughtful. Of course, some of the chapters were more interesting than others (I especially liked the one about the girl that went on a date and the one about the woman who wanted to write the female Catcher in the Rye) but overall it was never too dull for too long. I really enjoyed the writing style of most of the writers who contributed even though I'd never heard of any of them before. I'd like to check out some of their work now.

I appreciated that even though I loved Salinger they included responses from some writers who were less than thrilled with Salinger's work.
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kuroshoto
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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My personal favorite is The Salinger Weather by Thomas Beller
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Aakash1811
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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my first experience with salinger was when I read 'catcher' in 8th grade. It made me feel understood. I had the same experience with this book. All of these authors explaining how they are haunted, nee, STALKED into re-reading salinger (esp. seymour) and how their lives have changed because of it. Made me feel in "the club" for once.
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Liaison
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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I thought that Salinger critics had nothing more to add (having read many of them), until I read this book. Particularly loved the essays by Charles D'Ambrosio and Jane Mendelsohn.
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Linfae
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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If you’re a HUGE fan of Salinger, you might dig this collection…then again, it may also piss you off so irrevocably that you end up using the book as a projectile weapon. Some of the essays are more successful than others (especially the shorter ones), while others (notably Charles D’Ambrosio and Emma Forrest) where simply to long, sad and boring (D’Ambrosio…I feel that you’re brother committed suicide, please tell YOUR story now!) or self-absorbed and arrogant (Forrest: princess, you don’t speak for my generation, so shut it…and talking about the “authenticity” of JT Leroy was too perfect to be true). While the idea is a great one, I think the execution was a little tired and disconnected.
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purpleninja0006
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 17,2025
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Excellent contemporary thoughts on Salinger's work, mostly about how each author's life was touched by his words. Nice to see Salinger remaining relevant to modern writers.
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