Nine Stories (AKA For Esme--with Love and Squalor) (1953)

-

by J.D. Salinger



What is the opposite of prolific?



Answer: J.D. Salinger.


J.D.Salinger


The reclusive author had a rather meager output compared with other writers of his stature, but the extraordinary quality of his work has assured his exalted place in American letters. 



Though I was impressed by "Catcher in the Rye," I found it to be a bit overrated. 



(I intend to reread it someday to see if I'm really willing to stand by that statement.)

 


For me, it is the short fiction in this volume that truly reveals his talent.

 


Salinger often uses the uncomprehending bewilderment of children as a vehicle for observing the disappointments of adults.

 


Two of my favorites are "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" (a young man, traumatized by WWII and deeply disappointed by the human race, makes a startling choice) and "The Laughing Man" (though typically not very concerned with plot in his stories, Salinger here concocts a crackling adventure tale worthy of the best pulp yarns that doubles as a vehicle for revealing the deep romantic disappointment of an imaginative young man). 



This is must reading.

 


"9 Stories" (Azerbaijani)

"Nine Tales" (Portuguese)




"Dedicated to Esme and Other Short Stories" (Danish)

"Nine Stories" (Japanese)



"Nine Stories" (Arabic)

"Nine Short Stories" (Norwegian)

"My Mouth Is Nice, My Eyes Are Green" (Bulgarian)

"Nine Stories" (Croatian)

"Nine Tales" (Italian)

"Nine Stories" (German)

"Nine Short Stories" (Slovak)

"The Nostalgia of the Forty-Eighth Street Painter" (Persian)

"New" (French)

"Nine Stories" (Galician)

"Young People" (Latvian)

"Nine Stories" (Finnish)

"Nine Stories" (Russian)

"Nine Stories" (Chinese)

"Nine Stories" (Hebrew)

"For Esme: Nine Stories" (Serbian)

"For Esme's Sake with Love and Misery" (Indonesian)

"Nine Short Stories" (Thai)

"Nine Stories" (Georgian)

"Nine Stories" (Dutch)

"Nine Stories' (Polish)

"Nine Stories" (Estonian)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ranked: Horror Movies

-
Image
A ranking of all the horror films that have been reviewed on this blog. 144   Jonah Hex (2010) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2023/10/jonah-hex-2010.html 143 Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2024/10/beyond-black-rainbow-2010.html 142 Night of the Demons (1988) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2020/10/night-of-demons-1988.html 141 House on Haunted Hill (1959) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2024/10/house-on-haunted-hill-1959.html 140 The Last Exorcism Part II (2013) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-last-exorcism-part-ii-2013.html 139 Monsturd (2003) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2020/09/monsturd-2003.html 138 Hannibal (2001)  https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2023/10/hannibal-2001.html 137 The Gift (2000) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-gift-2000.html 136 Infection (2004) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2022/10/infection-aka-kansen-2004.html 135...
Read more

Lust, Caution (2007)

-
Image
Director: Ang Lee Writers: James Schamus, Hui-Ling Wang, based on a story by Eileen Chang Stars: Tang Wei, Tony Leung, Joan Chen, Leehom Wang, Chung-Hua Tou, Zhi-Ying Zhu, Ying-Hsuan Kao, Lawrence Ko, Johnson Yuen, Lar Lok Chin A young woman living in China during the Japanese occupation (Tang Wei)  becomes entangled with a collaborator (Tony Leung), whom she has been assigned to seduce and set up for execution.  The assignment eventually becomes the context for her entire life, until her very sense of self is wrapped up in layers of deceit and betrayal.  Ang Lee's masterful film introduces us to our characters when they are young college students swept up in idealistic fervor and then rejoins them years later when they are older and wearier, fighting the same battle more out of necessity than idealism.   This is a long film because Lee takes his time fleshing out these characters, but it is time well spent.  I was thoroughly engrossed and shattered by the ...
Read more

Ranked: The 1990s

-
Image
  A ranking of all the films released during the 1990s that have been reviewed on this blog. #65 Angels in the Outfield (1994) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2020/08/angels-in-outfield-1994.html #64 Showgirls (1995) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2021/11/showgirls-1995.html #63 Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (1997) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2020/08/knocking-on-heavens-door-1997.html #62 The Living Sea (1995) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-living-sea-1995.html #61 The Ninth Gate (1999) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-ninth-gate-1999.html #60 Thelma & Louise (1991) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2020/11/thelma-louise-1991.html #59 Forget Paris (1995) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2022/11/forget-paris-1995.html #58 Superstar (1999) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2021/11/superstar-1999.html #57 The Mummy (1999) https://thericochetreviewer.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-mummy-1999....
Read more