SALINGER

There’s one great thing about this flawed biography; it provides the only audio performances from J.D. Salinger’s books and stories. (Salinger refused to have his works performed.) Taking small bits from CATCHER IN THE RYE and other works (so as not to trip copyright laws), the narrators provide a glimpse of the wonderful audiobook world that could exist if the Salinger estate eased its grip on these writings. There are other things to like about this book, as well—the breadth of research (there are statements and letters from hundreds of sources), the organization (the early emphasis on Salinger’s war experience sets the tone for his later years), and the superb full-cast narration (in particular Campbell Scott’s persuasive reading). What primarily mars the project is the commentary by the authors. If they had simply let others speak, they could have eliminated their self-serving, less-than-compelling contributions. An additional wish is that the downloadable version had included access to the book’s photos. R.W.S. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2013]