J.D. Salinger Dies at 91

One of my favorite writers, J.D. Salinger, passed away today at 91.

For years, his short stories have guided my writing because, to me, he is one of the most skilled, precise writers I have ever read. The way he crafted just a few sentences had more detail, voice and purpose than most writers ever dream of producing.

His love affair with his characters, particularly the Glass family, is also something that not many writers are willing to do nowadays. He invested time and patience into crafting fiction, not simply spitting out ideas onto a page and calling it fiction.

Mr. Salinger he remained a private person who cared about his craft so much that he protected his work, which is another trait I admire him for.

We, in the literary world, lost a great writer today. So if you want to honor his memory, do yourself a favor and just read him. I suggest starting with my two favorite short stories in the collection "Nine Stories," which are: A Perfect Day for a Bananafish and Teddy.