As nearly as possible in the spirit of Matthew Salinger, age one, urging a luncheon companion to accept a cool lima bean, I urge my editor, mentor and (heaven help him) closest friend, William Shawn, genius domus of The New Yorker, lover of the long shot, protector of the unprolific, defender of the hopelessly flamboyant, most unreasonably modest of born great artist-editors, to accept this pretty skimpy looking book.J.D. Salinger
I can only hope that, when the opportunity comes to write an author's note, I will be as humble and grateful as the famous recluse. That was included in the 1991 LB Books edition of Franny and Zooey. I don't know whether it accompanied the original publications in The New Yorker.
Of course, I will never get such an opportunity if I don't get in the saddle with more regularity. Been a bastard of a holiday weekend, with too much time spent chasing demons and not enough time at the keyboard.
I'd write more about that, but I'm too annoyed with myself right now.
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