J.D. Salinger at Home

Notoriously private, J.D. Salinger would not have liked the new exhibit of his family photos, letters, and notes currently on display at the New York Public Library, organized by his son, Matt Salinger. Despite this, the carefully curated collection includes a “phony” publication acceptance letter from Salinger’s mother, a metal bowl Salinger made as a child, and hand-drawn mock-ups of the minimalist book covers that accompany his works. “He sat down in his leather chair in the living room. I remember it was winter time. And he sketched it out. He was focused,” Matt Salinger told The New York Times. “He writes about distrusting the word ‘creativity.’ He always thought it was a space you’re allowed to enter. You’re given things to share by whatever God you think is operative. There’s a release in that, and an ease. It’s not the tortured artist, pounding things out. That was not his affect at all when he was writing. There was joy in it.”