I really can't think of a better way to eulogize J.D. Salinger than to post Maurice Sagoff's poetic summary of Salinger's most famous novel:
School was crummy,
Classmates mean,
Holden Caulfield,
Aged sixteen,
Dropped out to the New York scene.
There he wandered,
Sorrow's son,
Overgrown,
But underdone,
Scorned by girls...it wasn't fun.
Broke, disheartened,
Home he slid,
Sister Phoebe,
(Perky kid),
Bouyed him up, she really did.
Only for the
Moment, though:
Down the skids
Alas, he'll go
Landing in a shrink chateau.
Ah, what torment
Must be his
Who Goddamns
But feels Gee Whiz!
Youth is rough--it really is.
As a side note, Sagoff's Shrinklits is brilliant, and much more useful than Cliff's Notes.