The best and the worst of Joyce Maynard

During my late teens, I devoured J.D. Salinger’s small yet sensational oeuvre. I was completely captivated by the intoxicating Glass Family whose history was told via several short stories scattered throughout 3 mesmerizing publications. Even now, I am still convinced that A Perfect Day for Bananafish is the best short story ever written. Period.

Salinger himself, was known for his reclusive nature and withdrew from the public eye after the publication of his novella Hapworth 16, 1924 in The New Yorker on June 19, 1965. Yet I desperately wanted to know more about this man, not only because his life was lathered in such mystery and secrecy but because he made me want to read and write. I can honestly say, if it wasn’t for him, my lust for literature wouldn’t have been what it is today so I owe him a great deal.

I went in search of biographies to figure this guy out but due to his private nature not a lot was written about him. I almost gave up my quest when I accidently stumbled across Joyce Maynard’s At Home In The World which I literally read in one sitting. Her memoir isn’t that fabulous but it is one of the only books that gives us a sensational look into Salinger’s personal life seeing as he had an affair with the then 18-year-old Maynard.

When one of her articles was published in The New York Times Magazine in 1972, Salinger who was 53 at the time wrote to her to compliment her writing and warn Maynard of the dangers of publicity. After exchanging many letters, she moved in with him in New Hampshire were she wrote her first book, the memoir Looking Back. Shortly before its publication, their relationship ended quite abruptly.

At Home In The World gives us a detailed account of their relationship and was filled with just the right amount of drama and literary scandal to make my then adolescent heart flutter with excitement.

Maynard has since written several novels of which To Die For is probably her most famous because it was adapted into a 1995 film of the same name, starring Nicole Kidman, Matt Dillon and Joaquin Phoenix and was directed by Gus Van Sant. I had never read any of her novels and even kinda forgot about her until I saw that Flow magazine featured her latest book, Labor Day, as their book of the month.

Labor Day tells the story of thirteen-year-old Henry who lives with his mother, Adele who is an emotional wreck as a result of her divorce. One day a mysterious and bleeding man begs for their help at the Pricemart. For reasons unknown to me, they take him home which naturally changes their lives forever.

As you might have guessed it’s sentimental, slightly predictable and told by a pubescent boy with boobs on the brain. Luckily it’s a quick and light read so not too much time was wasted on it. Labor Day wasn’t terrible, just not my cup of tea but if you like your novels short, sweet and sensitive then you’ve found a winner here.