J. D. Salinger was one of the twentieth century's greatest writers. He was also one of its most elusive. After making his mark on the American literary scene with the classic The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger retreated to a small town in New Hampshire, where he hoped to hide his life away from the world. With dogged determination, however, journalist and biographer Paul Alexander captured Salinger's story in this, the only complete biography of Holden Caulfield's creator published to date. Using university and library archives as well as thorough research, Alexander has created a great biography of Salinger that's further enriched by interviews with some of the greatest literary figures of our time: from George Plimpton to Tom Wolfe. This comprehensive biography of J. D. Salinger was the inspiration for the major Hollywood film Salinger, produced by The Weinstein Company, the producers of blockbuster films including Silver Linings Playbook. This comprehensive biography of J. D. Salinger was the inspiration for the major Hollywood film Salinger, directed by Shane Salerno and produced by The Weinstein Company, the producers of blockbuster films including The Iron Lady and Silver Linings Playbook.

Author Biography

Paul Alexander has written biographies of Sylvia Plath, James Dean, and Andy Warhol. A former reporter for Time, Alexander has written for the New York Times Magazine, Rolling Stone, and the Guardian. He is a member of the Authors Guild and PEN American Centre. He lives in New York City.