JD Salinger - R.I.P.

Few days ago, 28 Jan 2010, as I was reading the news, I accidentally found out about the passing away of JD Salinger, the famous literary recluse.

I admit that I am no big fans of fictional books, and I haven't been picking up much novels to fill up my reading hours. I rather watch them over the box office - most of it.

But I can remembered vividly, that The Catcher in the Rye, the famous book by this great writer was one of the few fictions that I really, really enjoyed, and I had a friend to thank for.

Having to read about his death, inevitably I gathered much of how he lived - it wasn't all shiny and nice, and also about the tributes all around.

He's no Michael Jackson, but he's definitely someone whose writings left a mark in my life.

Out of his many quotes, my favorite quote is

"Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.
Game,my ass. Some game. If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then it’s a game, all right - I’ll admit that. But if you get on the other side, when there aren’t any hot-shots, then what’s a game about it? Nothing. No game."

and of course,

"I'm sick of just liking people. I wish to God I could meet somebody I could respect."