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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
Salinger just isn't my deal. I didn't hate this collection of stories though, so I'll count that as a win. I particularly enjoyed Teddy and For Esmé - With Love and Squalor.
I can see why he's considered one of the Great American Authors.
I can see why he's considered one of the Great American Authors.
Great set of short stories. The final story, Teddy, is going to be rattling around in my head for a while.
The first one is good and the last part of the last one is also ok. The rest of the stories are for the ones who love good writing and the actual story is not that important and probably are at the same level of ignorance as me.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
A favourite of mine. A perfect day for banana fish and for esme are standouts but before the war is great too
I just can't get into any of the stories I've read in this collection. I like Salinger. Franny & Zooey is one of my absolute favorite books, and I got about halfway through this one, but there's just no point in torturing myself any further just because it's a Salinger. I may not have thought Catcher in the Rye was as amazing as everyone said but it was still enjoyable. For me these stories are not.
First Salinger was, of course, [b:The Catcher in the Rye|5107|The Catcher in the Rye|J.D. Salinger|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1398034300l/5107._SY75_.jpg|3036731], it was summer reading in middle school or something. And then, last October, I spent the day with a woman I met in Portland, Maine, she worked in publishing, very bookish. We browsed a bookstore together and ended up picking a book out for one another. I chose a collection by [a:Raymond Carver|7363|Raymond Carver|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1613953222p2/7363.jpg] and she chose [b:Franny and Zooey|5113|Franny and Zooey|J.D. Salinger|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1355037988l/5113._SY75_.jpg|3118417]. I read Franny and Zooey 2 days later taking the train in and out of New York City from where I parked my car out in New Rochelle. Felt like an almost ideal scenario to read those two stories to me. But I didn't like either at all, like, not a bit. So I was a bit worried going into Nine Stories, seeing as my only adult experience with Salinger was less than positive.
But, yea, actually really enjoyed this collection. There are a couple stinkers, like Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut and De Daumier-Smith's Blue Period, but some of the stories are phenomenal. For Esme is the highlight for me, followed by the Laughing Man.
Salinger excels at creating an image of the social alienation following World War II. Despite the universal involvement in the conflict, most people seemed eager to forget it as quickly as possible. Veterans were misunderstood, there experiences were disregarded, nobody actually wanted to hear about any of that bleak shit anymore. Emphasis on the huge emotional gap between men coming home from war and the wives they return to, there is no way the war trauma of war could be shared between lovers and also nobody actually desired to take that trauma on themselves.
I liked it, pretty short, really good length of stories for quick reads to fit into random gaps in your schedule.
But, yea, actually really enjoyed this collection. There are a couple stinkers, like Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut and De Daumier-Smith's Blue Period, but some of the stories are phenomenal. For Esme is the highlight for me, followed by the Laughing Man.
Salinger excels at creating an image of the social alienation following World War II. Despite the universal involvement in the conflict, most people seemed eager to forget it as quickly as possible. Veterans were misunderstood, there experiences were disregarded, nobody actually wanted to hear about any of that bleak shit anymore. Emphasis on the huge emotional gap between men coming home from war and the wives they return to, there is no way the war trauma of war could be shared between lovers and also nobody actually desired to take that trauma on themselves.
I liked it, pretty short, really good length of stories for quick reads to fit into random gaps in your schedule.
Just Before the War with the Eskimos was my favorite of the collection.
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
J.D. Salinger nos plantea en este libro 9 cuentos inconexos entre sí. Y aun que se deberían valorar cada uno por separado, voy a escribir mi opinión como conjunto.
Lo más destacable del libro es el gran poder de crear diálogos, histórias que se desarrollan fantásticamente desde un diálogo que te va mostrando más de lo que se diría a simple vista. Sin explicarte gran parte de los personajes implicados, el diálogo y la forma de hablar de los protagonistas te va explicando cada história de un modo muy interesante.
Me parece un creador de "escenas" muy bueno, y en el libro crea nueve escenas que atrapan de menos a más. Creo que es un "in crescendo" que cierra con las dos ultimas histórias que me parecen realmente buenas.
Creo que empezar con "El guardian entre el centeno" hace que este, si se lee después pueda parecernos flojo, y en comparación lo es. Pero es culpa de que el primero es realmente espectacular. Aún así, como libro tiene mucha materia que sacar, y sobretodo hay que tener en cuenta que de las nueve histórias todo va de menos a más. Empezando por las más flojas y acabando por las mejores, aún que todas ellas son "escenas" realmente interesantes y que atrapan.
En cuanto al formato del libro, la parte baja de la solapa se me acabó rompiendo al ser la portada tan blanda y tener que doblar el libro para leer el interior. Pero el tamaño es perfecto.
Recomendado a los amantes de los diálogos y las escenas donde el personaje no se describe directamente.
Lo más destacable del libro es el gran poder de crear diálogos, histórias que se desarrollan fantásticamente desde un diálogo que te va mostrando más de lo que se diría a simple vista. Sin explicarte gran parte de los personajes implicados, el diálogo y la forma de hablar de los protagonistas te va explicando cada história de un modo muy interesante.
Me parece un creador de "escenas" muy bueno, y en el libro crea nueve escenas que atrapan de menos a más. Creo que es un "in crescendo" que cierra con las dos ultimas histórias que me parecen realmente buenas.
Creo que empezar con "El guardian entre el centeno" hace que este, si se lee después pueda parecernos flojo, y en comparación lo es. Pero es culpa de que el primero es realmente espectacular. Aún así, como libro tiene mucha materia que sacar, y sobretodo hay que tener en cuenta que de las nueve histórias todo va de menos a más. Empezando por las más flojas y acabando por las mejores, aún que todas ellas son "escenas" realmente interesantes y que atrapan.
En cuanto al formato del libro, la parte baja de la solapa se me acabó rompiendo al ser la portada tan blanda y tener que doblar el libro para leer el interior. Pero el tamaño es perfecto.
Recomendado a los amantes de los diálogos y las escenas donde el personaje no se describe directamente.