I've never met anyone who feels the way I do about this book (well I've only met two people who have even read it), but I wasn't as entranced by it as I was hoping to be. It was too explicative. Although I certainly didn't hate this book and think it was meritless, it is down there with "Zooey" as my least favorite Salinger stories.
Upon dropping in to review all books that were/are important to me, I noticed that "Nine Stories" only has 4 and 1/2 stars. Hmmmmmmmm. totally illogical. This collection is genius and flawed perfection. Of course my favorite story is "Perfect Day for Bananafish" because of the total bullets of details...and I adore "Uncle Wiggley in Connecticut"(I read Uncle Wiggley books as a child)... and I always quote "how that name mixes memory and desire" from "To Esme With Love and Squalor". I shouldn't even be tooo effusive or even care if people read this book. It is a rare and beautiful work, and I wouldn't want to see it on Oprah's… Read more
To me, reading this book solidified and birthed my new philosophy. I don't recall much of the Zooey story, but the Franny story was stimulating to the extreme. While I often think that I may outgrow Salinger as I'm not nearly as confused as I once was, his writing is most likely instrumental in me growing. "Franny" and "Perfect Day for Bananafish" are indescribably potent. Thank you Franny for giving me the courage to possible be a complete nobody.
