From The Globe and Mail (full article here):
J.D. Salinger, the legendary author, youth hero and fugitive from fame whose The Catcher in the Rye shocked and inspired a world he increasingly shunned, has died. He was 91.
Salinger died of natural causes at his home on Wednesday, the author's son said in a statement from Salinger's literary representative. He had lived for decades in self-imposed isolation in the small, remote house in Cornish, N.H.
Although he was a self-imposed recluse for much of the last few decades, his writing spoke to many a young person. He did what all good authors do: He reached beyond himself to influence the way people see the world.
I've only read The Catcher in the Rye once, in high school, but I remember being both turned off and drawn to Holden Caulfield as a character. Sure, he was a bit abrasive, but I think I read this book at a crucial time. I was feeling a little lost and misunderstood, just like Holden, and so I was able to identify a little bit with his struggle (Although I never sought out a hooker...). And I'm just one of millions of people who feel this way.
It is a sad, sad day for literature. Godspeed, Salinger. You've left us with a very important piece of yourself in Holden Caulfield.
