November 5, 2011

THE CATCHER IN THE RYE (rye from rye whiskey)

BOOKS. I got hooked into Salinger since I first read him. I've given The Catcher in the Rye away, the book, to make others read it, like a dozen times, obsessively nearly, to buy it back again, couldn't just not have it near. God, I always wanted to write like that, damn book, like chasing a ghost. Then, like two years ago, I read Until They Bring The Streetcars Back and it was somehow the same teenagers story but easier to write, not much though, and I guessed then that you had to be a teenager or something to write like that too. But now, right now, I'm reading a book called "Fear and loathing: on the campaign trail '72" written by a Hunter S.Thompson, didn't know how it came into my hands, bought it in a Border's sale, nearly on price only, around last Christmas I think, never heard about it before, and damn it a zillion times, all the magic of the rye is there. It is about the campaign trail of 1972, just politics and speeches and ballot counting and all that, as the title says, and it works like hell. I'm fascinated, this man writes the same rye, whiskey rye and who knows what else making half of the job, but still has to make the other half. And no need of teenagers around. It is like growing up!
Yes, I know what are you thinking by now, I ain't no Salinger. But he is. The closest grown-up whiskey version of it that I have ever found.
It comes to my mind now that there must be more. If he's done it, there have to be more like him out there. I'm a stupid illiterate. Nothing can help it ever nomore. But reading more like that would be prize enough for my perseverance.  
Me enganché a Salinger la primera vez que le leí. He regalado El guardian en el Centeno, el libro, como una docena de veces, para hace que otros lo lean, casi obsesivamente, para comprarlo de nuevo, incapaz de tenerlo lejos. Dios, siempre quise escribir así, maldito libro, como perseguir un fantasma. Entonces, como hace 2 años, leí Until They Bring the Streetcars Back y era, de alguna manera, la misma historia de adolescentes pero más fácil de escribir, no mucho realmente, como que tenías que ser un adolescente o algo así para hacerlo también.  Pero ahora mismo, justo ahora mismo, estoy leyendo un libro titulado "Fear and Loathing: on the campaign trail '72" escrito por un tal Hunter S. Thompson, no se cómo había llegado a mis manos, lo compré en los saldos de Borders, casi por precio, hacia las Navidades pasadas creo, nunca había oído hablar de él, y maldita sea un millón de veces, toda la magia del centeno está allí. Es sobre la campaña de las elecciones americanas de 1972, política y discursos y recuentos de votos y todo eso, lo que dice el título, y funciona como el diablo. Estoy fascinado, este hombre escribe el mismo centeno, centeno de whisky y quién sabe qué más haciendo la mitad del trabajo, pero todavía tiene que hacer la otra mitad. Y no hacen falta adolescentes. ¡Es como hacerse mayor!
Sí, ya se lo que estás pensando para ahora. No soy ningún Salinger. Pero él sí. La mejor versión whisky-adulta que jamás he visto.
Se me ocurre que tiene que haber más. Si él lo ha hecho, tiene que haber más como él por ahí. Yo soy un estúpido analfabeto. Nada lo va a remediar ya. Pero leer más cosas así es premio suficiente a seguir buscando.

14 comments:

  1. Hello:
    It is always, or so we feel, terribly exciting to discover a new author with whom one is instantly in tune. Then the quest is on to find everything he or she has written. Happy reading.

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  2. hunter s thompson! he's one of my favorite writers, (don't worry, i won't make an hell's angel doll riding a 750 "desossée" harley. althought...)lucid, uncompromising, funny and trash. have fun.

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  3. I love The Catcher in the Rye, one of my all-time fave books. I've read it when I was still a teenager, now that you've mentioned it I wish I can still get a copy for my son to read. He is just ten but loves reading and he is now fond of Jeffrey Archer's and Sidney Sheldon's books.

    I love Hunter S. Thompson, I enjoy most of his books.

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  4. A great book. I will have to re-read it. TK!

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  5. cheers to that!....i love the reality, the grit, and of course, the amazing writing...might have to reread Catcher....it has been too many years...

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  6. Pues la verdad es que estoy tan encantada con el sirope de arce que no me acordaba de la miel... lo que si hecho de menos es el café, que aquí es más bien como agua sucia!
    El otro día me hablaron de "El guardian del centeno", a ver si cae en mis manos y lo leo... es que ultimamente leo en ingles y voy muy lenta! tardo mucho en terminar los libros!

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  7. I just saw yesterday that a Hunter S Thompson movie with Johnny Depp is coming out soon. I can't decide if it is worth seeing... You've mentioned before that you are not a native English-speaker - yet how is your English so good?!

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  8. The Rum Diary is another good Hunter S Thompson read. My daughter recommended it to me.
    The Catcher in the Rye..i still have my dog eared copy from my late teens.. Great post Pet!

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  9. I still have my dog-eared copy of Catcher from my teens too—and that was a long time ago! Recently gave it a speed-read while standing in front of my bookshelves. Will always be one of my all-time faves.

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  10. Salinger has such a unique style of writing. You have intrigued me. I will definitely read this book.

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  11. noto pasión en tus palabras, digamos que el libro se ha apoderado de tí! qué bonita es esa sensación, pocas veces me ha atrapado un libro así, qué maravilloso es el poder de las palabras!

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  12. Es en Asturias, en el restaurante Casa generosa. si lo buscas en google sale la primera. se como muy bien, la comida tradicional de alli.

    Besines!!!

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  13. I love Catcher in the Rye, my daughter just read it and she gets in character every time she tells me what part she just read, we both envision Holden the same way. I will check out this grown up version soon.

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  14. Sometimes I try to guess which Pet post you will submit. I am glad you submitted this one - you passion shows through :)

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