JDS - J.D. Salinger - Hartog Letters

JDS

Collection

J.D. Salinger - Hartog Letters

1943
1986-2002

1 box Letters (typescript)

Salinger, J. D.
Hartog, Donald

Authors, American -- 20th century

The letters are arranged chronologically. Envelopes, where included, have been kept with the corresponding letter.

Salinger, J. D.

A collection of 50 letters and 4 postcards dated 1986-2002 from the American author J.D. Salinger (1919-2010) to his friend Donald Hartog (1919-2007).

The two friends met in Vienna in 1937 when they were both 18. They went their separate ways in 1938 and the war years intervened. There was some early correspondence but this has not survived. This collection of letters relate to a later period in the lives of the two friends (1986-2002).

It was in 1986 that Donald renewed their acquaintance by letter. The two friends met up in 1989 in London for a joint 70th birthday celebration, this was the first time they had met since 1938. There was a further meeting in 1994 in the US.

There is an additional letter dated 1943, from Salinger's father, Sol, to Donald.

J.D. Salinger became something of a celebrated literary recluse. These rather ordinary letters reveal another side to him.

Note on the photographs: A 1989 photograph (formerly owned by Don) shows Don and Salinger sitting on a bench in England, this was their first reunion since 1938 (JDS/1/15). Four photographs show Salinger's desk and his Russian Blue cats (JDS/1/35/1-4), and there is a photograph of a gift from Salinger to Don – a wooden eagle (JDS/1/53/1), it is unclear who took this photograph.

We acknowledge the Salinger Estate as the copyright holder. Under UK Copyright law, this means that the correspondence cannot be exhibited, performed or read out, translated, copied, or quoted from directly by ourselves or any researchers visiting UEA Archives, without the written permission of the Estate as copyright holder. Any photocopying, photographing or scanning of the letters is also prohibited.

Collections of papers on and about Salinger can be found at various locations:

Harry Ransom Humanities Research Centre, University of Texas, Austin

Morgan Library and Museum, New York (Carter Burden Collection of American Literature)

Princeton University holds working papers for a proposed biography on Salinger by Ian Hamilton