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My Salinger Year
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
33 posts | 46 read | 59 to read
Poignant, keenly observed, and irresistibly funny: a memoir about literary New York in the late nineties, a pre-digital world on the cusp of vanishing, where a young woman finds herself entangled with one of the last great figures of the century. At twenty-three, after leaving graduate school to pursue her dreams of becoming a poet, Joanna Rakoff moves to New York City and takes a job as assistant to the storied literary agent for J. D. Salinger. She spends her days in a plush, wood-paneled office, where Dictaphones and typewriters still reign and old-time agents doze at their desks after martini lunches. At night she goes home to the tiny, threadbare Williamsburg apartment she shares with her socialist boyfriend. Precariously balanced between glamour and poverty, surrounded by titanic personalities, and struggling to trust her own artistic instinct, Rakoff is tasked with answering Salingers voluminous fan mail. But as she reads the candid, heart-wrenching letters from his readers around the world, she finds herself unable to type out the agencys decades-old form response. Instead, drawn inexorably into the emotional world of Salingers devotees, she abandons the template and begins writing back. Over the course of the year, she finds her own voice by acting as Salingers, on her own dangerous and liberating terms. Rakoff paints a vibrant portrait of a bright, hungry young woman navigating a heady and longed-for world, trying to square romantic aspirations with burgeoning self-awareness, the idea of a life with life itself. Charming and deeply moving, filled with electrifying glimpses of an American literary icon, My Salinger Year is the coming-of-age story of a talented writer. Above all, it is a testament to the universal power of books to shape our lives and awaken our true selves. From the Hardcover edition.
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Jess_Read_This
My Salinger Year | Joanna Smith Rakoff
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Pickpick

Once I started, I couldn‘t put this book down. I eagerly turned the pages in half anticipation half suspense in following Rakoff‘s job as the assistant to J.D. Salinger‘s agent. When Rakoff shared she‘d never read Salinger‘s work as it never came up in school or interest; I felt connection. As I too have never read his work. 😬 Yet when she describes how moved she was when she did, I‘m tempted to make this year a Salinger reading year. More ⬇️

Jess_Read_This It‘s a real coming of age story in the mid 1990‘s New York. Where computers and emails were making their way into the workplace. Where Rakoff learns about credit card debt, student loans, wanting to write, having to pay the bills, dead end romance, sketchy apartment living, and the literary scene. Slight Foxed has republished this one. I definitely recommend! 7mo
LeahBergen I was thinking of buying that new Slightly Foxed edition! 7mo
Jess_Read_This @LeahBergen It was a fascinating read! I‘m tempted to buy the Slightly Foxed one myself since this was a library copy. 7mo
See All 6 Comments
Ruthiella The early publishing experiences of the main character in Vintage Contemporaries reminded me of this book. Also, her awful boyfriend! I couldn‘t believe how long it took to realize he was a wastrel (except for I could believe it, having been young once 😆). 7mo
Leftcoastzen I remember loving this book, publishing stories I just love, and love Salingers books , maybe not so much the person 7mo
jlhammar I loved this book! 7mo
41 likes3 stack adds6 comments
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rachaich
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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Pickpick

I absolutely love this! Could not stop reading it, reminiscent of The Devil wears Prada in the setting and era.
I've just ordered her other book...

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rachaich
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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Wow! I've wanted this for years after reading about it on here.
And it jumped off a charity shop shelf and showed itself to me!!!

MommyWantsToReadHerBook This looks really good! 1y
jlhammar Loved this book. Hope you enjoy! 1y
rachaich @jlhammar loved it!!! 1y
21 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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jlhammar
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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📕 My Salinger Year by Joanna Rakoff
🖊 Munro, Alice
🎬 Moonstruck
🎼 Max Richter (composer)
🎶 My Sweet Lord - George Harrison

#ManicMonday #LetterM
@CBee

CBee Great song ♥️ 2y
Leftcoastzen I loved that book! An amazing look at publishing in that era 2y
MemoirsForMe Loved My Salinger Year!🙌🏻 2y
41 likes3 comments
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mrp27
My Salinger Year | Joanna Smith Rakoff
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#BookMoods

It‘s time for another photo challenge! I never read the book but I enjoyed the movie. A memoir by a young woman getting her first job in publishing working for Salinger‘s publisher.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Perfect 🎥📚 2y
19 likes1 comment
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Kazzie
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
Pickpick

I loved this book. Such a good writing style, and the insights into the 90s literary world was fascinating

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sjdreads
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
Pickpick

Came across this by accident, really nice story

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TEArificbooks
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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Pickpick

This is a gem of a memoir. I read it straight through. What a neat job to experience. I look forward to the movie. I wonder if she became a client of the agency herself.

40 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Jeg
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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Saw the movie yesterday and it was very good. I don‘t keep many books these days but I had kept these two. The movie was cleverly done I thought. Author would have had an input as I saw she was one of the producers. We feel very blessed here as we are free to go to the movies, walk about mask free and generally enjoy a COVID free life. Just can‘t travel very far. . Through all this I have not worn a mask once. So blessed.
@MrsMalaprop

JennyM I feel very fortunate to live in Australia. I have family in the UK and it‘s heartbreaking to know what they‘re going through. The movie sounds great! 4y
16 likes1 comment
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Buechersuechtling
Lieber Mr. Salinger | Joanna Rakoff
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Pickpick

? Ruhig und überraschend wunderbar. Super auch ohne Salinger-Vorkenntnisse lesbar.
Klar, manchmal will man Joanna anbrüllen: „Checkst du‘s nicht⁉️“, aber das würde ich wohl auch mit meinem 24-jährigen Ich tun wollen. ?
Don ist ein Ar**h, aber ich liebe das Flair der Agentur und die scheinbare Leichtigkeit von Joannas Tätigkeit dort.

Außerdem wage ich vielleicht doch einen Versuch mit Salingers Erzählungen. ? (Mit dem „Fänger“ wohl niemals.)

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Buechersuechtling
Lieber Mr. Salinger | Joanna Rakoff
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Ich mag das Buch. Flüssig und kurzweilig – und das im besten Sinne. Ich kann nämlich nicht schon gedanklich komplett vorzeichnen, was passieren könnte.

Bloß mit den amerikanischen Gegenwartsautorinnen und -autoren kann ich nicht mithalten. Klar, einige kennt man vom Namen her. Aber zum Beispiel Judy Blume … Weder vorher von ihr gehört noch irgendwas von ihr gelesen. Das ist ein bisschen schade – aber sonst: liebevoll erzählt. ✨

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Buechersuechtling
Lieber Mr. Salinger | Joanna Rakoff
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Ja, nachdem ich den Wikipedia-Artikel gelesen habe, kann ich verstehen, dass der Mann meines Vertrauens den Inhalt des Originals fast vollständig verdrängt hat.

Der Typ ist ja eine unerträglich arrogante Nervensäge, der selbst das lebt, was er verurteilt. ?

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Buechersuechtling
Lieber Mr. Salinger | Joanna Rakoff
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Ich wollte ursprünglich den „Fänger im Roggen“ vorher lesen, weil ich mir vorstellen kann, dass es in „Lieber Mister Salinger“ die ein oder andere Anspielung bzw. den ein oder anderen Querverweis gibt, den ich unbeachtet lasse oder nicht verstehe/nicht bemerke, aber da ich bei diesem Buch ziemlich kurzentschlossen war, hab ich das Original so schnell nicht mehr besorgen können. Der Mann meines Vertrauens erinnert es allerdings arg als seltsam. ?

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erzascarletbookgasm
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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After leaving graduate school to pursue her dreams of becoming a poet, the author moves to NYC and takes a job as assistant in a literary agency who just happens to represent the reclusive JD Salinger. A memoir of ‘being young and literary in the late 1990s..”
#PrinceofJuly #letswork

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Sounds good!! Love your pic! 💙 6y
Birdsong28 Love this book ❤️📚📖 6y
105 likes5 stack adds2 comments
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LeslieO
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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Love!❤️❤️

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Jas16
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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Mehso-so

This was more a book about being in your early twenties, the stupid decisions you make, and wanting to do more with your life but having no idea how, than it is a book about Salinger. I liked reading about The Agency but had a hard time reading about the author‘s boyfriend issues without cringing (and there is so much space devoted to them). This book was not at all what I expected but it was an interesting glimpse into publishing in the 90s.

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Jas16
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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I am home and ready to #litsypartyofone! I have been thinking about this moment all week long long. I have my book stack, my Reece‘s and a mug of tea that might morph into a glass of wine shortly. Now I need to decide if I want to start the tagged book on my kindle or one of the books in my potential stack of weekend reads. Decisions, decisions...

Leftcoastzen I really loved “My Salinger Year” mostly for the the way publishing offices were so old fashioned in the way they ran back then. 7y
Bostonmomx2 Will you read all those in one weekend? I‘m just hoping to finish my current book by Sunday lol 7y
Jas16 @Leftcoastzen I just started it and am enjoying that aspect already. Dictaphones! 7y
Jas16 @Bostonmomx2 Not even close! I will likely get through two of them, three if i neglect everything else I should be doing. 7y
Chelsibeau Read moloka‘i!!! 7y
62 likes5 comments
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britt_brooke
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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Pickpick

“Salinger was nothing like I'd thought. Nothing. Salinger was brutal. Brutal and funny and precise."

Rakoff's writing is not earth-shattering, but enjoyable. How cool it must be to have a small piece of history with "Jerry," no matter how erratic and reclusive. This really makes me want to read Salinger again soon.

SheilaChew Oh thank you for the review! I love Salinger and haven't read this book yet. Have you read 7y
britt_brooke @SheilaChew Yes, but it's been several years. I need to read it again. The only one of his I haven't read yet is Raise High the Roof Beam, but I just bought it and hope to get to it soon. (edited) 7y
121 likes8 stack adds2 comments
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britt_brooke
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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School pick up line reading. 😬

saresmoore That pick up line is epic! 7y
britt_brooke @saresmoore Isn't it?! It's estimated that of about 800 students, almost half are car riders. I have to hand it to the school, though, once the kids are dismissed, it's a smooth operation. 7y
saresmoore That's awesome! I think there are far fewer car riders at my kids' school, but it is NOT a smooth operation. 🙄 7y
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MemoirsForMe I really loved this book! 😊👍🏻 7y
britt_brooke @saresmoore It's crazy - they will have the first probably 200 cars loaded safely and ready to roll within 10 minutes of dismissal. I think it took a few years to perfect. (edited) 7y
britt_brooke @UwannaPublishme I'm enjoying it so far! 7y
AshleyHoss820 I do this too!! ❤️📚 🚗 7y
AlaMich At first I thought you were reading WHILE driving 😳😳 7y
britt_brooke @AshleyHoss820 🙌🏻🙌🏻 7y
britt_brooke @AlaMich 😱😱😱 7y
Aseleener I get a lot of reading done this way too. I have to get there 45 mins early to get a good spot! It's crazy at my kids' school. 600 students and no busses. On super narrow residential streets. Ugh. We don't start until Sept. 5th, so I have 2 more weeks until that headache starts again. 7y
britt_brooke @Aseleener Oh my goodness, that's nuts! 7y
Megabooks They're back!! 7y
vivastory Are you enjoying the tagged book? It sounds great 7y
readinginthedark We park and go inside in a line to pick up our kids. I thought it would take forever, but it's actually faster than the car drop-off line in the morning! 7y
Trace Never heard of this book but I want to have my own Salinger Year. 7y
britt_brooke @readinginthedark I like that idea. There's not nearly enough parking at our school to do that. Once school lets out the car line goes quickly, but it's those crazy parents that get there a hour prior that get it so backed up. 😬 7y
britt_brooke @Trace Right?! Me, too. 👏🏻 7y
britt_brooke @vivastory It's entertaining so far. 👍🏻 7y
TEArificbooks We have 1200 kids at my sons' elementary school built for 700. We have 12 buses, but even then we have about 800 cars a day. We have to park around the school which is all one way streets or in the open desert next to the school and walk on to playground to pick up. If you want a parking spot with in 2 blocks you have to get to school 45 -60 minutes early. So I do and get a lot of reading done. 7y
britt_brooke @mdm139 That's insane!! 😳 At least you get a lot of reading out of it. 7y
Suet624 @mdm139 that kind of seems illegal. 7y
122 likes23 comments
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britt_brooke
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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He's here for the snacks not the snuggles. #dogsoflitsy #bostonterriersoflitsy

Bookzombie So cute! 💕🐶 7y
Captivatedbybooks With that face he'd get alll the snacks! 7y
DGRachel 😂😂 7y
See All 14 Comments
Redwritinghood Naturally. If you're like me with my dog, those eyes get you every time. (edited) 7y
britt_brooke @Captivatedbybooks @Redwritinghood I can't resist that sweet face so I shared! ☺️ 7y
LeahBergen I hope he got some! ❤️ 7y
britt_brooke @LeahBergen Oh yes, I can't resist that face! 😍 7y
Lmstraubie So, so cute 🐶😍 7y
MemoirsForMe Awww! He's the cutest! 💕 7y
minkyb Too adorable! 7y
britt_brooke @minkyb ☺️☺️☺️ 7y
149 likes3 stack adds14 comments
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goodbyefrancie
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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One for me, one for them. #bookmail is the best mail!

Birdsong28 Just read this!! Really good. You will enjoy it 📖📚 8y
goodbyefrancie @Birdsong28 awesome! It was an impulse buy, so I'm glad to hear the good review. Thanks! 8y
Birdsong28 @goodbyefrancie if you go on the books profile you will see the review I gave it a couple of weeks ago. Enjoy!! 📖📚 8y
55 likes3 comments
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Birdsong28
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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Pickpick

Very good. Would highly recommend not just to fans of J.D Salinger but to everyone with a love of books as it takes you into the inner workings of a literacy agency nd shows you the process of how a book is brought to life. Also you get an insight to the life of the author and how her passion for literature drives her.

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MrBook
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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#TBRtemptation post 3! This book received rave reviews and honors by everyone from BookRiot to Oprah when it came out in 2014. This is a memoir about pre-digital literary NYC in the late '90s. An aspiring poet, Joanna became assistant to J.D. Salinger's literary agent. They use Dictaphones & typewriters, at night returning to her small Williamsburg apartment & socialist boyfriend. Her task: responding to JD's fan mail. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

Birdsong28 Currently reading this at the moment. Its very good. 8y
8little_paws I really enjoyed this memoir. It's like sitting down with a blanket and cup of coffee kind of book 8y
Nonaroo I enjoyed this book! 8y
See All 6 Comments
AmyWrites I LOVED this book! 8y
tpixie It was a good read! 8y
LitsyGoesPostal 😊👍🏻 8y
77 likes19 stack adds6 comments
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Hobbinol
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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Mehso-so

My Salinger Year is JR's light memoir of her 1st job at the literary agency that represented the elderly Salinger. The young JR has not yet developed a personality & writes quite simply --nearly shallowly-- of her awkward employment. Her story is told with a grade school vocabulary that belies the poet she tries to be. You feel no love for the written word here. 4/5th's of the way in she finally reads JDS's books & finds her direction in life.🙄

Redwritinghood I agree with your review. This one left me lukewarm at best. 8y
Hobbinol @Redwritinghood So glad to know I'm not the only one who was disappointed by it! 8y
40 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Hobbinol
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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I just want to clarify that as Salinger-obsessed as I am, I was not the kid in Winston-Salem (my town) who kept writing letters to the author's agency... but maybe I'd like to meet him.

LeahBergen Oooo! 8y
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Jeg
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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Pickpick

Finished this morning. Loved it . Great writing. Very interesting . Lovely insights. Clever woman .

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Jeg
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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That some what sums up how I often feel in a library. 📚😍

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Jeg
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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Started reading this morning. I love it when I open second hand books and find something from previous reader. This one contained a boarding pass. Probably used as a book mark. I'm not too far into the book but so far so good. 😊 .

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AlexGeorge
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
Pickpick

Finished this yesterday. It took me a while because life is mad right now, but I found it charming and funny, and nostalgic in all the right ways. Recommended!

BethFishReads This is on my list but I haven't gotten to it yet. Life in all sectors is crazy right now 8y
31 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Jeg
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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My op shop find today . To be added to my pile of books to be read. In the back of my mind I think I've heard of this book. Any comments from anyone who has read it??

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AlexGeorge
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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Already half way through this. Ah, to be young and in New York again. #nostalgia

MicheleinPhilly I loved this book. 8y
8little_paws I loved this as well! 8y
31 likes5 stack adds2 comments
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LadyElaine
My Salinger Year | Joanna Rakoff
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Pickpick

Not as much #readathon time as planned today, but slowly getting through my TBR stack. As someone who never got farther in to Salinger's work than the required reading in high school, I was worried this one might not hold my interest. It was a fun, fast read.