In Memoriam J.D. Salinger

We are all mourning deeply the loss of one of our very favourite authors — and one of the greatest writers of the last century, J.D. Salinger. Although none of us ever met him and he had not published a book since 1965, his presence was very strongly felt in the Hamish Hamilton office. Indeed, we have spent the last several months plotting a relaunch of our Salinger list for this June, with new covers which the author had approved — and we were especially excited to have received word from the author himself. Even at two removes, via his UK and US agents, the words "JDS says…" in an email had a special magic. And it is very sad to think that we will have no such communication again.

I am certain that J.D. Salinger's passing will be keenly felt by many. Hamish Hamilton author Jonathan Safran Foer has stated that, ‘many readers were created by The Catcher in the Rye, and many writers, too. He and his characters embodied a kind of American resistance that has been sorely missed these last few years, and will now be missed even more.' Similarly, Dave Eggers commented that Salinger's work "meant a lot to me when I was a young person and his writing still sings, doesn’t seem the least bit dated, and few were ever as good at dialogue as he was.'

The Catcher in the Rye must surely be close to the top of the list of favourite books of millions of readers — as it is of ours; and his other works will not be far behind — and for some, of course, ahead. He was the bestselling Hamish Hamilton author ever and we owe him an enormous debt.

Simon Prosser, Publishing Director, Hamish Hamilton

Penguin’s 75th? Someone fetch me the video camera…

It's our 75th Birthday this year, so we're filming our editors talking about life at Penguin Books. In Part 1 of this series, Classics and Reference Publisher Adam Freudenheim talks about some of his highlights at Penguin and what he's most excited about at the moment; Hans Fallada's Alone in Berlin.

Chris Croissant
Marketing Assistant, Penguin Digital

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Our reading resolutions for 2010…

We asked our Facebook fans whether they made any book-related resolutions for 2010 and got some really lengthy replies – some said that they would like an answer to the question of whether to e-read or not, others just wanted to read more. We realised that having asked the question, we hadn't answered it ourselves. Here we share our reading resolutions…

Anna Rafferty, Managing Director of Penguin Digital
I'm going to read more Modern Classics – I've only read about twenty as I'm always drawn to the Black Classics for escapism and I'm a devil for re-reading favourites like Moll Flanders and David Copperfield again and again, but I know that there are some great new stories in there! 

Aine Fearon, Online Developer
Despite having almost finished this brilliant 1193-page whopper on the fifteen-minute commute clinging to a handrail on the Piccadilly line, I've resolved to make more of my new, longer commute to work and get some proper reading done.

Hannah Michell, Online Marketing Executive
Last year I resolved to read fifty-two books and only managed about thirty books (I'd like to think that this is, in part, because I picked up some real epics like Peter Carey's Oscar and Lucinda and Paul Murray's Skippy Dies). This year I really aspire to get to fifty-two books and taking inspiration from our 52 Books minisite, I'm also going to try to diversify my reading list to incorporate some non-fiction titles: I'm looking forward to sinking my teeth into Jonathan Safran Foer's Eating Animals.

Jo Galvin, Children's Digital Marketing Manager
Being in children's publishing, my resolution would be to make sure I indulge a little in the grown up world of books every now and then. It's going to be a challenge going from lift-the-flap to The Left Hand of God, but I think I'm ready for it…

Jeanette Turmaine, Development Manager
I'm going to read a book in each available iPhone and Android ebook app 😮

Alice Berry, Magnet Editor
To only read my son two stories at night. He always nags me for a third.

Matt Clacher, Literary Marketing Executive
This year I really need to read more than just fiction. Every time I pick up a newspaper, read an essay or whatnot, I measure the experience in time I could have spent reading fiction. And even when I make an effort to read some non-fiction, it's usually by fiction writers anyway. I'm a fiction junky, and while I'm not looking to kick the habit just yet, this year I'd like to spend a little more time eye-balling some facts, such as those in Dave Eggers' Zeitoun, an urgent, timely and unforgettably haunting account of the horrors of post-Katrina New Orleans.

Chris Croissant, Online Marketing Assistant
I toyed with the idea of forty books for 2010, but that's ludicrous, I'm too slow a reader. I think thirty books is far more realistic. This is the reading list so far: I've got some Penguin Classics I want to read in the form of William S. Burroughs, A Confederacy of Dunces and many of the Deluxe Classics which are luring me with their beauty. Then there's all the fabulous literary books coming up, such as The Temple Goers and The Lessons that everyone's been telling me I HAVE to read. But I try and keep a good balance so I've got some non-fiction to get into; one or two autobiographies I've got my eye on. And lastly, there's all the non-Penguin books to read like anything Foster Wallace-related, The Glass Bead Game and Aldous Huxley's Island, both of which are sitting on my book shelf. I might even finish the Iliad…

 

Jeremy Ettinghausen, Digital Publisher
To encourage my son to read things other than Manga.

What are your reading resolutions for 2010?

Happy Reading!

Hannah Michell, Online Marketing Executive