Sunday, September 30, 2007

Franny and Zooey


Quickie recap: Franny, having survived a bizarre childhood, has quickly become disenchanted with the inauthenticity of those around her. Her solution is to try to find God, even though she can't quite believe in him. Her older brother Zooey, a product of the same strange environment, offers her advice to try to lead her to a different kind of enlightenment.

Quickie review: Salinger is a master of angsty, intellectual prose. This novel is a conversation piece, not just a pathway to spiritual illumination but a statement of belief in itself. Although Franny takes a decidedly Christian approach in her quest for God, it is clear that Salinger is more of a Zen man himself, deftly bringing his protagonist from a state of ignorance, through to confusion, and finally, to peace and wisdom.

Quickie recommendation: Om.

3 comments:

Steve said...

This one sounds good, but I seriously need you to slow down, Girl. Dang.
I'm still on Cormac McCarthy's Border trilogy, I'm on part 3. Very good, if you get the chance, "All the Pretty Horses" is part one,(cool movie also) but "The Crossing" was just great. I also started "Everyman" by Phillip Roth.
Which leads me to my question: Where do you get your' ideas of what to read next? Like, if I trace who or what I read, sometimes there's a pattern...like my "Lost Generation" phase from Hemingway to Dos Passos to Fitzgerald and then on to Steinbeck. Now I've bounced from Chuck Palahniuk to Cormac McCarthy and back, which is on opposite ends of the spectrum.

Jay said...

I have a looooong list that I keep, which I originally started because I wanted to have read all of the "classics" - but have since discovered that the word "classic" is not well-qualified. In order to not lose my mind, I throw in some more recent material before my brain turns to dust, or some non-fiction or something a little cheerier...I don't really have a system.

Joe Jubinville said...

My favorite Salinger... not that there's a lot to choose from. I love this novella. We were determined to film an underground version of it, the whole thing taking place in just two locations and all. But it never got past the planning stage. Once the fat lady finally sings... well, one can't help but feel a bit moot.