American novelist JD Salinger, author of classic 20th Century book The Catcher in the Rye, has died aged 91.
The reclusive writer died of natural causes at his home in the state of New Hampshire, his son said.
The Catcher In The Rye, first published in 1951, is a tale of teenage angst. It has become one of the most influential American novels of the modern era.
Soon after its publication, Salinger shunned the fame it brought and became a recluse for the rest of his life.
But he is best known for The Catcher in the Rye, which quickly became a bible of teenage dissent in America and a staple of high school and freshman college English courses.
Almost immediately after Catcher was published, Salinger became disillusioned with the publishing industry.
In 1953, he bought a house at Cornish, New Hampshire, and retreated into seclusion, giving a rare and final interview in 1980.
Last year, Salinger took legal action to block the publication of a book by a Swedish author - 60 Years Later: Coming Through the Rye - that was billed as a follow-up to his classic novel.
He has taken legal action to protect his copyright on previous occasions, but has never appeared in court. He has also refused filming rights for his story.
His three subsequent books - including Franny and Zooey - were all best-sellers.
But no new Salinger fiction appeared after 1965 and he has done everything possible to try to thwart the efforts of biographers.
Although many years have passed since the publication of any work by Salinger, friends and visitors to his home have revealed that he has a large safe containing at least 15 completed manuscripts.
Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8486169.stmThe quote which is from the Catcher in the Rye in Chapter 25, pg. 198. "I thought what I'd do was, I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes" also appears in the Ghost In The Shell anime as part of The Laughing Man arc.
Interesting Note: The Laughing Man was another one of JD Salinger's stories.
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