J. D. Salinger

An Introduction

Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour

Holy ground this holy ground that; you’re telling me Seymour doesn’t dress well???????

Clay Carey

Reading "Seymour: An Introduction"  admittedly feels like work, but " Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters" is a brilliantly architected and beautifully constructed short story. I love the intro dedication* (it feels very personal, especially during the several intentional dialogues Buddy Glass initiates with the reader in "Seymour"), and it was a large factor in helping me stay the course through to the (ultimately satisfying) end of "Seymour." 

Although I still don't see what all the fuss is about with The Catcher in the Rye (what a phoney that Caulfield guy is, eh?), I still adore the rest of the Salinger oevre and look forward to the set of posthumous works his surviving family will be publishing in the coming decade. 

*DEDICATION: "If there is an amateur reader still left in the world—or anybody who just reads and runs—I ask him or her, with untellable affection and gratitude, to split the dedication of this book four ways with my wife and children." - J. D. Salinger, dedication from  “Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters" and "Seymour: An Introduction"

Ashlyn

Reading "Seymour: An Introduction"  admittedly feels like work, but " Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters" is a brilliantly architected and beautifully constructed short story. I love the intro dedication* (it feels very personal, especially during the several intentional dialogues Buddy Glass initiates with the reader in "Seymour"), and it was a large factor in helping me stay the course through to the (ultimately satisfying) end of "Seymour." 

Although I still don't see what all the fuss is about with The Catcher in the Rye (what a phoney that Caulfield guy is, eh?), I still adore the rest of the Salinger oevre and look forward to the set of posthumous works his surviving family will be publishing in the coming decade. 

*DEDICATION: "If there is an amateur reader still left in the world—or anybody who just reads and runs—I ask him or her, with untellable affection and gratitude, to split the dedication of this book four ways with my wife and children." - J. D. Salinger, dedication from  “Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters" and "Seymour: An Introduction"

First part went off easily, it was intriguing as the plot was becoming more clear, the change of form in the second part was more challenging to keep binge reading it, but personally I needed time to adapt to it. Second part after awhile became very heart warming picture of true brother love, which was so beautifully written, that it often made tear up.

Kasia Chodzinska

First published in the New Yorker in the 1950s, Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: an Introduction are two novellas narrated by Buddy Glass, a character often said to be a portrait of Salinger himself. In the first, Buddy has taken leave from the army during World War II to attend the wedding of the eldest Glass brother, Seymour, and an atmosphere of portentous suspense sets the scene for the tragedy that will follow. In the second, Buddy reminisces about Seymour and the novella unfolds into a deep and far-reaching exploration of a complex and sad character which displays all the tenderness and subtlety which distinguish the best of Salinger's writing.

And Seymour - an Introduction

Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters

noodle

the second story was such a struggle for me to finish that it broke my two weeks reading binge lol

Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters & Seymour

Silvia Morgantini

Salinger is the only writer who has ever made me want to read poems written by a non-existent character.
Also, the way Buddy writes about his older brother Seymour? True love.

Donald

I did not like 'Cather in the Rye' at all when I read it in high school, but this book is incredible, especially 'Seymour: An Introduction'.

Reading this, I finally understand the cult of the now deceased Salinger. What a thorough intelligence and distinctive literary style! I had not read a book by him in years, and yet I recognized his voice immediately.

Perhaps I will go back a reread 'Catcher'.

Do výšok zdvíhajte krov, tesári a Seymour

Akože, ono by to aj bolo šarmantné, ale nikdy, nikdy, NIKDY nepochopím, prečo to dal niekto v roku 2001 prekladať Kotovi (a to nie je skratka od vulgarizmu, aj keď by mohla byť). Najväčšie perly v histórii anglicko-slovenského prekladu posielam do správy na vyžiadanie...*smútoček*

Christina Hufford

Raise High the Roofbeams, Carpenters is probably my favorite of all I've read of Salinger's so far. It's unfortunate though that it's paired with Seymour, which may be my least favorite of his work that I've read. Truthfully, though, I havent even finished reading Seymour: An Introduction, but I just can't slog through it any longer. So, while Seymour I might not recommend, Raise High... was absolutely delightful to read, and that I recommend highly.

Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour An Introduction

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