luke mcgarry

We asked Cold War Kids singer Nathan Willett—who as anyone who has listened to “Sermon vs. the Gospel” will know is a serious devotee of Franny and Zooey—to write us a little piece on what J.D. Salinger meant to him:

J.D. Salinger passed away today. He was 91 years old. His death has resurrected a myriad of rumors about what will become of the unpublished writing that he has done during the last 50 years or so. Speaking as a fan, my personal struggle is to determine how much I should care about all the writing that may be unearthed—especially with respect to Salinger himself. If he really didn’t want his writing to be read, should I want to read it? While I hope that there is more great writing to be released, I won’t jump in the ring of speculation and obsession.

Salinger epitomized our American fascination with the celebrated artist gone recluse. I imagine his name will become a metaphor for the recluse in the future. No one deliberately kept fame at a greater distance, save an occasional flirtation with the media, and every new generation of writers wanted him back because of it. But based on his books and the little there is to know about his personal life, I can safely assume that all the way to his death, he was a man who cared most about the style of his soul and the integrity of his art. These are no longer traits that we value in artists. Today, spirituality and integrity are the characteristics of monks and irrelevant artists.

I re-read Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Franny and Zooey once every year or two, especially when I am preparing to write. My dad told me that kids in his high school hid it in their lockers like it was pornography. When I taught it to juniors at South High, I was shocked at the content: Jesus, sex, Buddha, suicide, isolation, butterflies. Heaviness that still resonates. Very few writers come close to the style, confidence and vulnerability in those books. The writing could only come from a person of great talent and discipline with a desire to plumb the depths of his soul. For these reasons, I will always see Salinger as a bit of a holy man—an artist to be cherished for his integrity, which (though currently out of fashion) will ultimately be timeless.

—Nathan Willett