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1MarianV
Home before Dark is a biography of novelist John Cheever written by his daughter, Susan Cheever.
Dream Catcher is a biography of writer J. D. Salinger written by his daughter, Margaret Salinger.
Both books are more memoir than biography, tho the inportant facts of each man's life are covered. Both books concentrate on what the men have published & the effect these publications have had on their families.
Both daughters have respected their fathers.
Salinger's book is more of a tell-all, J.D.'s faults as father & husband are well documented. But Margaret also goes into great detail about Salinger's participation in WW2, the combat from the Normandy invasion through all the battles of the 1st. Army (personal note - my husband fought with the 1st. Army through Huertgen & the Bulge)- it was very rough & both men had battle fatigue. In his story "For Esme - with Love & Squalor" he refers to returning from the war "with all his faculties intact". Margaret Salinger makes it veery clear that her father did not return from the war "With all his faculties intact." (Neither did my husband)
The book actually deals more with Margaret's life than J. D.'s, her life is interesting, disturbed & she hangs on with her fingernails through a great deal of adversity.
Susan Cheever's life is easier. She writes more about John & his addiction problems that threatened to limit his writing ability. But the Cheevers do not have an easy life, either. Depression stalks John Cheever & his "self-medication" (usually whiskey) fails. Yet he manages to turn out quality writing.
What impressed me the most about both books is the love that the women showed for their fathers. In spite of all the dificult times, poor choices & bad luck, each recognized her father's genius & gave the reader a true portrait of living the creative life.
Dream Catcher is a biography of writer J. D. Salinger written by his daughter, Margaret Salinger.
Both books are more memoir than biography, tho the inportant facts of each man's life are covered. Both books concentrate on what the men have published & the effect these publications have had on their families.
Both daughters have respected their fathers.
Salinger's book is more of a tell-all, J.D.'s faults as father & husband are well documented. But Margaret also goes into great detail about Salinger's participation in WW2, the combat from the Normandy invasion through all the battles of the 1st. Army (personal note - my husband fought with the 1st. Army through Huertgen & the Bulge)- it was very rough & both men had battle fatigue. In his story "For Esme - with Love & Squalor" he refers to returning from the war "with all his faculties intact". Margaret Salinger makes it veery clear that her father did not return from the war "With all his faculties intact." (Neither did my husband)
The book actually deals more with Margaret's life than J. D.'s, her life is interesting, disturbed & she hangs on with her fingernails through a great deal of adversity.
Susan Cheever's life is easier. She writes more about John & his addiction problems that threatened to limit his writing ability. But the Cheevers do not have an easy life, either. Depression stalks John Cheever & his "self-medication" (usually whiskey) fails. Yet he manages to turn out quality writing.
What impressed me the most about both books is the love that the women showed for their fathers. In spite of all the dificult times, poor choices & bad luck, each recognized her father's genius & gave the reader a true portrait of living the creative life.
2margad
What an interesting comparison. I'm putting Dream Catcher on my list of books to read. "For Esme - with Love & Squalor" is one of my favorite short stories of all time. Reading it, I did get the impression the narrator was being more hopeful than accurate about his "faculties" being intact.
Another book that might be interesting to read alongside Salinger's is Our Fathers' War: Growing Up in the Shadow of the Greatest Generation by Tom Mathews. He tells the stories of several sons of men who fought in WWII, and how it affected the men and their relationships with their sons. It seems particularly useful to consider how WWII affected the men who fought in it, now that we are fighting wars in the Middle East. It's hard to argue that we should not have fought in WWII, but understanding how "the good war" damaged people makes it clear - at least to me - that we should only fight when we have no other choice, and should never begin wars.
Another book that might be interesting to read alongside Salinger's is Our Fathers' War: Growing Up in the Shadow of the Greatest Generation by Tom Mathews. He tells the stories of several sons of men who fought in WWII, and how it affected the men and their relationships with their sons. It seems particularly useful to consider how WWII affected the men who fought in it, now that we are fighting wars in the Middle East. It's hard to argue that we should not have fought in WWII, but understanding how "the good war" damaged people makes it clear - at least to me - that we should only fight when we have no other choice, and should never begin wars.
