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Friday, July 18, 2008

Sean Nelson on Mary McCarthy on J.D. Salinger

posted by on July 18 at 14:32 PM

McCarthySalinger010.jpg

The brouhaha earlier in the week about A Streetcar Named Desirehere, here, here, here—which devolved into an accusation (here) that I was “hiding behind” Mary McCarthy (which is sorta true), reminded me of the time, back in 2003 or 2004, I photocopied McCarthy’s review of Franny and Zooey (reprinted in this book) for Sean Nelson, who is a Salinger fan and something of a Salinger expert. Nelson scribbled comments and counter-arguments all over the photocopy (like “No” and “Wrong” and “This is a means of indicting/indicating the protag., you stupid bitch”) and handed it back to me. It has been hanging on my office wall ever since.

[Click on the image to make it bigger.]

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1

i withdraw "you stupid bitch." it was a private joke for CF.

Posted by SEAN NELSON, EMERITUS | July 18, 2008 2:40 PM
2

Oh my, aren't you both just so STUNNINGLY smart and PRECIOUS and CLEVER!

Posted by How Twee Can We Be | July 18, 2008 2:44 PM
3

@2 for the twin.

Posted by Will in Seattle | July 18, 2008 2:51 PM
4

Are there more pages of this?

Posted by Christin | July 18, 2008 2:56 PM
5

NERD FIGHT!

Posted by Yardlie | July 18, 2008 3:13 PM
6

I'd say that McCarthy and Salinger are both overrated but no one has given a shit about McCarthy since she died and Salinger would have long ago faded into the literary twilight zone were it not for moony, acne and angst ridden, poetry writing teens...

Posted by michael strangeways | July 18, 2008 4:06 PM
7

@6 So, you're saying that Salinger would long ago have faded if it weren't for... humans?

Posted by 'sup pock | July 18, 2008 4:44 PM
8

It would be better if you'd explain specifically what McCarthy's take on Salinger was, and what Sean's take on McCarthy was.

Posted by Tim Appelo | July 18, 2008 4:45 PM
9

@8: Are you serious? The photo itself includes McCarthy's position and Nelson's position.

Posted by Matthew | July 18, 2008 4:46 PM
10

y'know, when we've gotten to the point of reviewing reviews of reviews, it's time to step back, take a deep breath and remember we have much more important things to worry about.

Posted by ellarosa | July 18, 2008 6:58 PM
11

Annotation vindication?

Posted by amp | July 18, 2008 11:26 PM

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