Unpublished J. D. Salinger Stories Leaked On Bittorrent Site 218
192_kbps writes "Catcher in the Rye author J. D. Salinger wrote the short story The Ocean Full of Bowling Balls and left depository copies with a few academic libraries with the understanding that the work would not see mass distribution until the mid-21st century. The only authorized place to read the story is in a special reading room at Princeton where electronics are not allowed and a librarian continuously babysits the reader. A PDF of the story, as well as two other unpublished stories, appeared on private bittorrent site what.cd where a huge bounty had been placed for the work. Incredibly, the uploader (or someone connected to the uploader) bought an unauthorized copy on eBay for a pittance. The file, Three Stories, is making the bittorrent rounds but can also be read on mediafire."
Thank Goodness... (Score:4, Insightful)
I love this socialist half-paradise, where Wall Street profits are privatized, gigantic losses from gambling with people's deposits are publicly insured, and intellectual works are treated like a turkey thrown into a pit filled with hyenas.
Whoooo.... (Score:5, Insightful)
.....oooooosh.
So where did the eBay copy come from? (Score:4, Insightful)
Incredibly, the uploader (or someone connected to the uploader) bought an unauthorized copy on eBay for a pittance
One presumes then that although this stuff is now kept under lock and key, it wasn't always so carefully protected?
Re:Overrated (Score:3, Insightful)
Yeah, as an American, I've heard about it all my life. However...
> I was underwhelmed and to this day still do not understand what all the fuss is about.
Yeah, I think this is how most Americans who have actually attempted
to read the book feel about it. It's one of those works that gets by
on pure reputation: people don't want to publicly admit that they
didn't like it, because then they would not seem intellectual, because
everyone knows intellectuals all like the book. (Of Mice and Men has
almost exactly the same reputation and is even more poorly written.
The Scarlet Letter isn't very much better, and lest I pick exclusively
on American authors, I'll throw War and Peace into the mix as well,
though I suppose maybe it's better in the original Russian; I've only
attempted to wade through it in English.)
We need somebody famous but with no pretensions (someone like
a Letterman or a Foxworthy) to speak out in a voice that will be
heard and tell everyone the obvious: the emperor is butt nekkid.
Please don't mistake me for saying that classic literature isn't
good. There are a lot of classics that I really like. In fact, most
of my favorite books are classics. Hamlet deserves its reputation.
So does Tom Sawyer. To Kill a Mockingbird is pretty decent even
just viewed as fiction and furthermore can contribute significantly
to understanding certain historical social issues. A Tale of Two
Cities is if anything underrated. The Bible is grossly underrated.
I'm not saying that classic literature in general isn't good. I'm
only saying that certain specific works traditionally listed among
the greats don't actually deserve to be included.
Re:Thank Goodness... (Score:5, Insightful)
I would say yes – if I a person does not want their work to be published and I will stand on this issue on principle.
The man did not want his works to be published at this time. I can think of other cases where diarist who things that they did not to be released until ALL affected parties were dead which may not be until decades after the person has died. If a person does not want their work published now it should not be forced. It is the right thing to do.
Now if we are talking about copyright and compensation issues - that’s a different ball of wax. I would have to say no to that.
Re:That's terrible... Salinger won't write any mor (Score:5, Insightful)
This is a great example of where copyright helps to encourage authors to write more. The fact that this copy has been leaked, and pirated massively means that Salinger has no incentive to write any more! We need to punish the perpetrators thoroughly.
It is a disincentive to trust your unpublished manuscripts, papers and memoirs to Princeton --- it is easier to speak candidly if no one living will have to bear the consequences.
Re:Overrated (Score:5, Insightful)
As a foreigner, I'd never heard of Salinger or Catcher in the Rye. When I first made it to the US, my friend gave me the book: "You HAVE to read that". I was underwhelmed and to this day still do not understand what all the fuss is about. A story about a whiney teenager with too much money for his own good ? This describe America pretty well to me !!!
No way, god damn it. I think "The Catcher in the goddamn Rye" is one of the best goddamn books there is. Hell, I think it even won a few o' them fancy goddamn awards, but I can't remember their goddamn names.
Re:That's terrible... Salinger won't write any mor (Score:5, Insightful)
Nobody understands copyright law.
Re:Overrated (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:That's terrible... Salinger won't write any mor (Score:2, Insightful)
Maybe Princeton shouldn't be in the business of playing gatekeeper to a dead man's paranoiac death wishes about publication. If Salinger was a serial killer or a despot, would Princeton feel morally obliged to follow his wishes about what he wanted published after his death?
The fact that copyright lasts for the author's life "+ X years" where X gets increased every time it nearly expires means that we have infinite copyright, which is blatantly unconstitutional, and definitely contrary to the original stated purpose of US copyright law.
If Salinger wanted to keep his precious manuscripts away from the public eye, instead of granting precious sanctimonious access of it through an agreement with Princeton, maybe he should have entrusted it to a private individual, or an institution without a duty to higher learning, such as a legal firm or a publishing house.