From the moment J. D. Salinger published The Catcher in the Rye in
1951, he was stalked by besotted fans, would-be biographers, and pushy
journalists. In this collection of rare and revealing encounters with
the elusive literary giant, Salinger discusses--sometimes willingly,
sometimes grudgingly--what that onslaught was like, the autobiographical
origins of his art, and his advice to writers. Including his final,
surprising interview, and with an insightful introduction by New York
Times journalist David Streitfeld, these enlightening, provocative, and
even amusing conversations reveal a writer fiercely resistant to the
spotlight but powerless to escape its glare.