J.D. Salinger
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As with most art that’s gathered a cult following, the merit of J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye is always hotly debated. Both that book’s fans and its detractors surely know that Salinger had long been one of America’s most infamous recluses.
After moving to Cornish, New Hampshire and occupying a tiny cottage on a 90-acre swath of land, hardly anyone heard from Salinger.
In Cornish, the author did do a bit of socializing at first, even reluctantly giving a high school newspaper an interview. But when this interview somehow made its way to a larger publication, Salinger was so upset that he built a literal wall around his house.
Salinger’s last published short story came in 1965. After that: nothing. However, according to ex-lover Joyce Maynard’s memoir, he did keep writing. But none of it saw the light of day. In 1986, for example, when a would-be biographer wanted to include letters that Salinger had written in his book, the author took him to court.
Until his death in 2010, Salinger remained a recluse as he ate in the back kitchens of restaurants and drove a jeep with curtains on the windows.
