Publisher’s Lunch informed me about the latest in the Salinger “Sequel” story.
If you’re unaware about the Salinger lawsuit, here’s a recap:
J.D. Salinger,90, filed a lawsuit against JD California (anonymous author of 60 Years Later: Coming Through the Rye), UK company Windupupbird Publishing, its Swedish parent company Nicotext, and SCB Distributors (which sells Nicotext books in the US). The complaint declares “the sequel is not a parody and it is does not comment upon or criticize the original. It is a rip-off pure and simple.”
In response, JD California called the legal action “a little bit insane,” but called his novel a “tribute the way Holden would have said it.”
However, The Local (Sweden’s News in English) reported that JD California said, “…I liked it then [back at school], but I’ve never really been a fan or been crazy about the book or any other books like that.”
JD California, The Local reveals, is actually Fredrik Colting, the publisher of 60 Years Later. Colting explains that 60 Years Later was not intended to be a sequel but rather he:
wanted to explore is this concept of the relationship between character and creator. After we close the books, what happens to characters after that? Do they just cease to exist? Or do they continue living?
So 60 Years Later is kind of a dance between these two dimensions, between the here, our reality, and the there, that which we perceive as a made up world contained inside the covers of the book.
The Local also reported that Colting was surprised by the passionate opinions voiced by the many readers of Catcher in the Rye. “It’s been interesting. I didn’t realize that The Catcher in the Rye was a subject that touched so many people,” Colting said. “I welcome the attention. It’s interesting because it’s going to pose an interesting discussion.
Colting has this to say about his choice of pseudonym: “Since I’m also the publisher, I needed a name. I just created a pseudonym to write 60 Years Later,” Colting said. “He’s made up. Somehow, John David California sounded like JD. I didn’t think about that actually. I just thought it sounded cool. Of course afterwards, I see the resemblance.”
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Interesting news, isn’t it? I’m particularly thoughtful about his “never really been a fan” and, most of all, his “realization that The Catcher in the Rye was a subject that touched so many people.” Do you think it contradicts his earlier statements (i.e. “tribute”)? Or…
If you’re interested, please check out previous blog entries on the Salinger & California case. Links and discussion are available on it.
