My Salinger Year and August Preview

It’s already August, which leaves me with a slight panic that fall is imminent when all I really want is summer to last … and last and last. Such is life living in a northern country. This week I finished the nonfiction audiobook “My Salinger Year” by Joanna Rakoff and I’m half way through the novel “Circling the Sun” by Paula McLain. I also saw the movie comedy “Trainwreck” with Amy Schumer (it’s raunchy-crazy if you like that) and rented the sci-fi thriller “Ex-Machina” (don’t miss Oscar Isaac as a bad bald guy in this).

I was turned on to Joanna Rakoff’s “My Salinger Year” by Sarah over at the blog Sarah’s Book Shelves who had highly praised it last year as one of her favorites. Indeed it is an amusing and poignant coming-of-age memoir about a 24-year-old, who after completing graduate school, lands a job in 1996 as an assistant at a heralded literary agency in New York.

When I told my husband I was listening to the audiobook of “My Salinger Year,” he commented that he disliked authors that used famous people to write book exposes about, as if it were like the chauffeur of Marlon Brando divulging his secrets. I told him it wasn’t really like that. Sure J.D. Salinger figures in the book (and a few tidbits about him are learned), but it’s more a memoir about a girl’s start in life, getting her first office job and what transpires during that meaningful year in her life.

It’s wonderful too that author Joanna Rakoff reads the book for the audio. Perfect really. I listened to it twice while walking our dog this week as it’s light and not very long. It made me laugh at points, and reminded me of some of my first office jobs in my early twenties. Part of the memoir goes into Rakoff’s job at the literary agency and what her tasks are like, her dealings with her boss and the other agents; while the other part of the memoir deals with her personal life, her then-socialist boyfriend Don, her family, friends, place in Brooklyn, and aspirations. It’s all melded together in quite an engaging way.

As for J.D. Salinger whom the agency represents, Rakoff does meet him and talks with him over the phone. She becomes a fan of his works after reading them during her year there, and learns that “The Catcher in the Rye” was once rejected by a publisher before being snatched up by Little Brown and published in 1951. Can you imagine the publisher that passed over “The Catcher in the Rye”? Holy smokes it only missed like a billion in sales and credibility.

I think if you’re interested in the publishing industry, or in Salinger’s works, or just in a light, amusing coming-of-age memoir of an aspiring writer — you’d like “My Salinger Year.” The audio was refreshing on my summer walks, and made me want to revisit Salinger’s books in the future. Rakoff has a gifted touch and is a writer to watch.

As for books coming out in August, there’s quite a load and I’m still grappling with which ones I’m most interested in. Veteran authors Shirley Jackson (posthumously), Haruki Murakami (two novels reissued), and short-story master Ann Beattie all have new books due out. But perhaps I’m most curious about Pulitzer Prize-winning author Adam Johnson’s second book “Fortune Smiles,” which is a collection of six short stories that Publishers Weekly calls “hefty and memorable.” Something tells me that whenever or whatever Johnson writes, I need to read it fairly pronto.

I’m also hoping to check out Rajia Hassib’s highly praised debut novel “In the Language of Miracles” about an “Egyptian-American family and the wrenching tragedy that tears their lives apart.” It’s been hailed by author Laila Halaby as “a gripping, hold-your-breath exposé about being Muslim in post-9/11 America where the heinous act of one can demonize all.” But, she says, “it’s also a universal, multi-generational, immigrant tale.” Judging from the positive reviews of it on Goodreads — which call it powerful and moving — I’d definitely like to snag a copy.

I also like the look of Meg Waite Clayton’s WWII novel “A Race for Paris” about “two American journalists and an Englishman, who together race the Allies to Occupied Paris for the scoop of their lives.” I’m not sure I can resist this historical novel based on real frontline stories of female reporters during WWII. I worked at a newspaper after all and still need to read the biography of war correspondent Martha Gellhorn, which my dad gave me years ago. It’s high on my shelf and would be a good companion most likely to reading “A Race for Paris.”

Lastly in books, if I need one more summer beach or plane read, which I likely do, I might turn to Lucy Clarke’s novel “The Blue” about “a group of friends whose journey around the world on a yacht turns from a trip to paradise into a chilling nightmare when one of them disappears at sea.” It’s said to be a real page-turner and would likely do well preoccupying me when I fly to the other coast for summer vacation in a week. I have not read any of Lucy Clarke’s thrillers, but it appears her books have quite a large following.

As for movies coming out in August, it appears a few well-known actresses have light comedy-dramas due out: Meryl Streep is in “Ricki and the Flash,” Lily Tomlin is in “Grandma,” and Patricia Clarkson is in “Learning to Drive.” All of these movies look half-way decent though I’m not sure what to think of the preview of Streep as an aging rock musician who returns home looking to make things right with her family. Hmm. Writer Diablo Cody got it right in “Juno” but will “Ricki and the Flash” be half as good? Perhaps I’m a bit more curious about the sci-fi drama “Z for Zachariah” at the end of August, which is about three nuclear war survivors that wind up in a love triangle. Come on, it’s got Chris Pine, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Margot Robbie. Everyone else on Earth is gone. Somehow I knew Chris Pine would make it after the apocalypse. 🙂

In albums due out in August, there’s new ones by Iris Dement, Grace Potter, Rob Thomas, and Wilco among others. But I think I’d like to check out the latest album from Seattle indie folk singer-songwriter Noah Gundersen called “Carry the Ghost.” I don’t know Gundersen’s music yet, but I like the sound of the album’s pre-released single “Slow Dancer,” so I plan to listen to more once it’s available.

How about you — have you read Joanna Rakoff’s book “My Salinger Year,” or seen Amy Schumer’s movie “Trainwreck” — and if so what did you think? Or which books, movies, or albums out this month are you most looking forward to?

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22 Responses to My Salinger Year and August Preview

  1. I’ve heard the Wilco album already. Downloaded for free via Google Play Music and I like it. As for movies, and I know you’re not a comic book movie fan, but I’d like to see The Fantastic Four. I’m not much for comic books or graphic novels to read, but do enjoy the comic book movies for some reason. Ricki and the Flash definitely will be on our radar because of Meryl Streep, whom my wife loves, and we both also enjoyed Juno. I doubt our local small town theater will get it, but when it comes out on DVD, we’ll have to seek it out.

    • Susan Wright says:

      Yeah Bryan, I hope Ricki and the Flash will be entertaining. I think it will be. Enjoy the Fantastic Four. And good to know about Wilco.

  2. Molly says:

    For all the reasons you list, I think I would enjoy My Salinger Year… and even though I prefer written text, I think might even try to the audiobook 🙂

    A Race for Paris sounds fascinating as well!

    • Susan Wright says:

      Thanks Molly. Yes the author’s reading of the audiobook really makes it worthwhile. I think you’ll enjoy it. A Race for Paris does look good.

  3. Brian Joseph says:

    I am also getting the feeling that summer is passing too quickly. I so wish that it would slow down.

    I have not read My Salinger Year but I would like to. I agree with your husband, if it was book that concentrated on revealing the activities of Salinger I would have little interest in it. However, based on your description, this sounds like a very good book.

  4. I have The Salinger Year…and now I must move it up on my list!

    I also have a memoir by Joyce Maynard, one of my favorite authors, in which she writes about the time she lived with J. D. Salinger (At Home in the World).

    A Race for Paris is another book on my list. Love that author, too. Enjoy!

    Here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES

    • Susan Wright says:

      Yes Laurel! I have the Joyce Maynard memoir as well and I need to read that sometime. It’s on my shelf still. Have you? Good to know about A Race for Paris.

  5. Anne says:

    I love doing the math on your site before I can post. Where did you get the html for it? Love it. You read such interesting books this month, I am jealous.

    • Susan Wright says:

      Ha Anne. So glad you like the math. I think I got that wordpress plugin via Captcha by BestWebSoft. Though I’m pretty limited in my web design knowledge. I hope the August books will be good!

  6. Glad you enjoyed My Salinger Year! I loved the writing style…looking forward to seeing what she does next. How did it translate to audio?

  7. Michelle says:

    I have no idea what movies or music albums are releasing in August. Can you tell that they are not my focus? As for books, I honestly don’t know about them either. I could look at my notes and share a few of the ones I can’t wait to read, but I’m really just going with the flow right now and not worrying about new releases, pending releases and the like. I think it makes me feel like I am in control when life is moving too quickly for comfort.

    Have a great week!

  8. I love memoirs and that one sounds wonderful!

  9. Harvee says:

    I’ve recently become more interested in memoirs and will add this one to a growing list of contemporary memoirs I want to read.

    • Susan Wright says:

      If you’re interested in that time period in Africa, I think you might enjoy it. Thanks Harvee for stopping by

  10. Steph says:

    What a great list of books! I am off to add these titles to my list.

  11. I’m with you in looking forward to Fortune Smiles and The Language of Miracles. I didn’t read The Orphan Master’s Son, but I’ve had a great year with short stories so I think I need to continue the trend.

    • Susan Wright says:

      Yeah I haven’t read Johnson’s first novel yet either but I am curious about this one since he’s supposed to be such a great writer. I must give it a go too!

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