Author J.D. Salinger dies at 91

[Dback Jon]

J.D. Salinger, the famously reclusive author whose 1951 novel, "The Catcher in the Rye," became a touchstone for generations of readers, has died. He was 91.

The author died Wednesday of natural causes at his home in New Hampshire, according to a family statement that his literary agent, Phyllis Westberg, provided Thursday.

"Despite having broken his hip in May, his health had been excellent until a rather sudden decline after the new year," the statement said. "He was not in any pain before or at the time of his death."

Salinger has long been known for his reclusiveness, and "in keeping with his life long, uncompromising desire to protect and defend his privacy there will be no service," the statement said.

"The family asks that people's respect for him, his work, and his privacy be extended to them, individually and collectively, during this time."

Though he wrote more than 30 short stories and a handful of novellas -- many published in The New Yorker and collected in works such as "Nine Stories" and "Seymour: An Introduction" -- Salinger's fame rests on "Catcher," his only novel.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/books/01/28/salinger.obit/index.html?hpt=T1

 

[nathan]

It'll be interesting to see if any of the rumored unpublished material is published.

 

[Pariah]

I was watching season 5 of Weeds last night and there was a JD Salinger reference. It struck me because I thought it was odd and out of place...weird timing.