Salinger and Publishing

What are we to do with all the unpublished writings of the late J.D. Salinger? The Perpetual Post has an opinion about it.

From the story...

This last fact is the most incontrovertible argument against Salinger’s last work being published posthumously. It is unlikely that during the decades that he lived in anonymity, Salinger simply forgot to send any of the manuscripts in question to his agent. In fact, during rare interviews throughout his life, he conceded that he had in fact continued to write, although he did so for himself and not so that his work could be read by others. This, to me, does not indicate that he only meant that his work was not for others to read until after his death, although as I said before, if he left a note in the safe with the works which stated something along the lines of, “Go nuts and send this stuff to Harper Collins once I kick, Love J.D.” then certainly that would change things.

I also question the motivations of J.D. Salinger’s heirs and estate if they do decide to publish his remaining manuscripts. It has been brought into question whether his later works were of the same quality of his few early stories and novels. Even if they are; even if sitting in a safe in his home in New Hampshire are six or seven novels of the same caliber of “The Catcher in the Rye”, if he did not publish them, what right does anyone else have to do so if it is not with his explicit permission? Is the enjoyment of his fans worth more than his individual right to privacy and his right to have his wishes in life respected after his death? Certainly there are enormous profits to be made on those last novels, whether or not they are worthwhile reads. Will there be any way to distinguish between his surviving relative’s wishes to share his unpublished genius with the world, and their desire to make an easy million?

And, speaking of Salinger, the first biography after his death is out now.