Daniel makes stuff, and, in his spare time, writes about things like movies, kid culture, and geek stuff.
The Town Where J.D. Salinger Lived

Perhaps it takes living in the same town as a man to really get to know him. Here’s just a brief excerpt, from an excellent reflection on the reclusive author’s unique relationship with Cornish, New Hampshire – the town where J.D. Salinger and his wife lived for more than fifty years:

To Emily Robbins, Jerry and Colleen Salinger’s house next door was a regular stop when she and her brother Nick were raising money for Cornish Elementary School projects or out trick or treating.

One year, the couple forgot to buy Halloween treats and instead handed out pencils.

“Well, this is lame,” Robbins said she and Nick decided, once out of earshot.

Their mother, however told them, “Save those pencils.”

Jan 30, 2010 :: Tagged under: , , , , :: #

What Do Teens Want to Read?

Publishers Weekly goes off in search of the answers.

They’re absolutely tremendous statistics to pore over, if you get a chance. Take, for instance:

When asked what formats they prefer, 79% noted paperback while 74% said hardcovers. Audiobooks were favored by 6%, while e-books were noted only by 6% and 13% had no preference as to format.

I don’t think the ‘Death of Print’ is going to happen anytime soon… Not for books, and not for this generation, at any rate.

Oct 29, 2009 :: Tagged under: , , :: #

Sympathizing with Vampires

With Stephanie Meyer’s “Twilight” series at the forefront, Liz Rosenberg considers why so much of young adult literature today is rooted in the supernatural:

Like all speculative fiction, that of the supernatural allows teenagers to grapple with ideas. In this it’s kin to science fiction, though that genre tends to be social and political – “Stranger in a Strange Land’’ by Robert Heinlein or “A Clockwork Orange’’ by Anthony Burgess – while the supernatural inclines toward the psychological and personal.

Jun 28, 2009 :: Tagged under: , , , :: #