You've heard about J.D. Salinger suing a writer for infringing upon his copyright and writing a novel featuring a thinly veiled 70-something Holden Caulfield with dementia stumbling around NYC, right?
Get A Life, Holden Caulfieldwhich discussed contemporary teenagers' reactions to The Catcher In The Rye. In short, Holden is an annoying git who should buck up quit whining.
If you're looking for an alternative to Holden's self-indulgent blather, take a look at King Dork by Frank Portman, which I've reviewed before, and coincidentally took out out the library a few days before all this hit the news.
Another riff on Catcher worth a look is K.L. Going's Saint Iggy, which takes a teen boy on his own tour of New York City after being suspended from high school. Going's character has more reasons to pity himself than Caulfield--he was born addicted to crack and has a bad case of ADD, along with parents who are either absent or still using. But Iggy seizes on the idea that he has to do something good with his life and decides to help his friend Mo reunite with his family, an adventure that ends so sadly. Going proves herself as an excellent stylist with this book with great skill at building a character's voice.
4 comments:
Amen, sister. I snagged a free copy of King Dork but haven't read it yet--looking forward to it.
And gawd, I found Holden Caulfield grating almost 20 years ago when I read the book. I guess I do have something in common with these kids, these days.
I've never understood why anyone related to whiny, spoiled Holden Caulfield... and then I looked at the dates of his greatest appeal. Baby Boomers!
I was always annoyed that we had to read Catcher in the Rye for school. I wonder how often they update school reading lists. Holden was the uber-whiner.
Wende, the annoying traits of Baby Boomers are a major theme in King Dork. And it's such a good book, I would like others to read it and tell me what they think (hint, hint to you all).
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