From Library Journal
Like Prentice-Hall's "Twentieth-Century Views," this new series, "Modern Critical Views," attempts to present the best criticism available on selected contemporary authors. The two volumes under review each contain nine previously published essays, many by prominent critics: the Salinger volume includes work by Alfred Kazin and David Galloway (The Absurd Hero in American Fiction, 1966), while Joyce Carol Oates, Robert Penn Warren, and Linda Wagner are among the contributors to the Dickey volume. Arranged chronologically, the Salinger essays provide a sweeping view of Salinger's critical reception; the Dickey essays would have benefited from such an arrangement. Both collections explore a variety of issues, many so specific that a familiarity with the author's work is necessary. For this reason, they will not readily serve as introductory works but will be more useful to teachers, graduate students, and advanced literature majors. William Gargan, Brooklyn Coll. Lib., CUNYCopyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Book Description
Salinger authored Catcher in the Rye, which is regarded by some as a short story in book form. In this title Harold Bloom and various other critics looks at some of the author’s short stories such as "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" and "The Laughing Man." This title also features a biography of J.D. Salinger, a user guide, a detailed thematic analysis of each short story, a list of characters in each story, a complete bibliography of Salinger’s works, an index of themes and ideas, and editor’s notes and introduction by Harold Bloom. This series, Bloom’s Major Short Story Writers, is edited by Harold Bloom, Sterling Professor of the Humanities, Yale University; Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Professor of English, New York University Graduate School; preeminent literary critic of our time. The world’s most prominent writers of short stories are covered in one series with expert analysis by Bloom and other critics. These titles contain a wealth of information on the writers and short stories that are most commonly read in high schools, colleges, and universities.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal