Like so many people who read Catcher in the Rye, I was awestruck by what I thought was the most clever writing I might ever have seen. The part about, “like so many people” is made abundantly clear in the movie, “Salinger”, which we saw today at the Cinemas Palme d’Or in Palm Desert.

This documentary is based on the book, Salinger, by David Shields and Shane Salerno. And, unless you really like documentaries, or, like me, really have an interest in writing and writers, you may find this movie somewhat tedious. It made me squirm. It drives home the idea of success and the loss of privacy that may result from fame. This is a contradiction for most people, I think. “Rich and famous” seem to be joined at the hip for most people aspiring to become someone special. For me, I’ll take the riches and do without the fame, if possible.

There is one part of the movie that really hit home with me. One of the last people in the film is Betty Eppes and she reports on her encounter with Salinger. I’m sorry to say I don’t have a direct quote from the movie, so I’ll post something here that I’ve found online. In essence, he says you should “write for yourself.”

I’m pretty sure that’s what I’m doing here.

It was comforting to hear that that was advice given by someone as big as J. D. Salinger.

Salinger, as quoted in this article: I love to write and I assure you I write regularly. I’m just not publishing. I write for myself. For my own pleasure.