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J. D. Salinger

J. D. Salinger Quotes

Writer

J. D. Salinger was an American writer renowned for his reclusive personality and his seminal novel, 'The Catcher in the Rye'. Born on January 1, 1919, Salinger lived much of his life in seclusion, rarely engaging with the public. His novel, published in 1951, became an instant classic and a cornerstone of American literature. Salinger's writing is characterized by its introspective and complex depiction of teenage alienation and angst.

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All Ifs Knows Holden Caulfield People Thinking Mean Holden Want Girl Said Catchers Men Littles Kind Feels Way World Writing Literature Hate

Famous J. D. Salinger Quotes

“I'm the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It's awful. If I'm on my way to the store to buy a magazine, even, and somebody asks me where I'm going, I'm liable to say I'm going to the opera. It's terrible.”

Ifs Way Asks Saws Terrible Stores Magazines Awful My Way Ask Me Memorable Liars Opera Terrific Liable Holden Holden Caulfield

Book:THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

Source: THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

“It's everybody, I mean. Everything everybody does is so - I don't know - not wrong, or even mean, or even stupid necessarily. But just so tiny and meaningless and - sad-making. And the worst part is, if you go bohemian or something crazy like that, you're conforming just as much only in a different way.”

Ifs Knows Way Mean Doe Different Crazy Worst Stupid Tiny Different Ways Meaningless Conform Bohemian

Author:J. D. Salinger

“Or you'd just passed by one of those puddles in the street with gasoline rainbows in them. I mean you'd be different in some way—I can't explain what I mean. And even if I could, I'm not sure I'd feel like it.”

Ifs Way Feels Mean I Can Different Streets Not Sure If I Could Rainbow Gasoline Puddles

Author:J. D. Salinger

“Certain things, they should stay the way they are. You ought to be able to stick them in one of those big glass cases and just leave them alone.”

Way Life Should Bigs Able Certain Change Cases Ought Sticks Glasses Life Changing Catching Holden Holden Caulfield

Author:J. D. Salinger

“But guilt is guilt. It doesn't go away. It can't be nullified. It can't even be fully understood, I'm certain - it's roots run too deep into private and long-standing karma. About the only thing that saves my neck when I get to feeling this way is that guilt is an imperfect form of knowledge. Just because it isn't perfect doesn't mean that it can't be used. The hard thing to do is to put it to practical use, before it gets around to paralyzing you.”

Way Mean Long Hard Use Feelings Running Form Used Certain Perfect Understood Standing Roots Guilt Karma Practicals Things To Do Necks Going Away Imperfect Hard Things Too Deep

Author:J. D. Salinger

“They love their reasons for loving us almost as much as they love us, and most of the time more. It's not so good, that way.”

Book:FOR ESME- WITH LOVE AND SQUALOR

Source: FOR ESME- WITH LOVE AND SQUALOR

“I mean they don't seem able to love us just the way we are. They don't seem able to love us unless they can keep changing us a little bit. They love their reasons for loving us almost as much as they love us, and most of the time more.”

Way Mean Littles Reason Seems Able Bits Little Bit

Book:FOR ESME- WITH LOVE AND SQUALOR

Source: FOR ESME- WITH LOVE AND SQUALOR

“If there is an amateur reader still left in the world - or anybody who just reads and runs - I ask him or her, with untellable affection and gratitude, to split the dedication of this book four ways with my wife and children.”

Ifs World Way Children Stills Book Running Asks Left Four Wife Reader Gratitude Affection My Wife Dedication Splits

Author:J. D. Salinger

“In the first place, you’re way off when you start railing at things and people instead of at yourself.”

People Way Firsts

Book:franny and zooey

Source: franny and zooey

“She worries over the way her love for me comes and goes, appears and disappears. She doubts its reality simply because it isn't as steadily pleasurable as a kitten. God knows it is sad. The human voice conspires to desecrate everything on earth.”

Knows Way Humans Reality Earth Voice Worry Doubt Disappear God Knows Comes And Goes Kitten Human Voice

Author:J. D. Salinger

“While I was walking I passed these two guys that were unloading this big Christmas tree off a truck. One guy, kept saying to the other guy, 'Hold the sonunvabitch up! Hold it up, for Chrissake!' It certainly was a gorgeous way to talk about a Christmas tree.”

Way Two Bigs Guy Tree Walking Truck Gorgeous Other Guys Christmas Tree Two Guys

Author:J. D. Salinger

“Sometimes you get tired of riding in taxicabs the same way you get tired riding in elevators. All of a sudden, you have to walk, no matter how far or how high up.”

Way Sometimes Matter Walks Tired Riding Elevators

Book:THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

Source: THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

“But it wasn't just that he was the most intelligent member in the family. He was also the nicest, in lots of ways. He never got mad at anybody. People with red hair are supposed to get mad very easily, but Allie never did, and he had very red hair.”

People Way Hair Members Red Intelligent Mad Memorable Red Hair

Book:THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

Source: THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

“If you weren't around, I'd probably be someplace way the hell off. In the woods or some goddamn place. You're the only reason I'm around, practically.”

Ifs Way Reason Hell Woods

Book:THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

Source: THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

About the Author

Born: January 1, 1919
Died: January 27, 2010
Known for: Writer
Quotes: 347

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Books & Sources

THE CATCHER IN THE RYERelated source material

franny and zooeyRelated source material

FOR ESME- WITH LOVE AND SQUALORRelated source material

J. D. Salinger: The Last Interview: And Other ConversationsRelated source material

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