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Unpublished J. D. Salinger Stories Leaked On Bittorrent Site

Posted by Soulskill on from the secrecy-is-like-something-out-of-a-novel dept.

192_kbps writes "Catcher in the Rye author J. D. Salinger wrote the short story The Ocean Full of Bowling Balls and left depository copies with a few academic libraries with the understanding that the work would not see mass distribution until the mid-21st century. The only authorized place to read the story is in a special reading room at Princeton where electronics are not allowed and a librarian continuously babysits the reader. A PDF of the story, as well as two other unpublished stories, appeared on private bittorrent site what.cd where a huge bounty had been placed for the work. Incredibly, the uploader (or someone connected to the uploader) bought an unauthorized copy on eBay for a pittance. The file, Three Stories, is making the bittorrent rounds but can also be read on mediafire."

10 of 218 comments (clear)

  1. That's terrible... Salinger won't write any more! by magic+maverick+ · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is a great example of where copyright helps to encourage authors to write more. The fact that this copy has been leaked, and pirated massively means that Salinger has no incentive to write any more! We need to punish the perpetrators thoroughly.

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    HELP MY ACCOUNT HAS BEEN HACKED BY AN ILLIBERAL ART STUDENT SET TO DESTROY THE INTERWEBZ!
  2. Links by cffrost · · Score: 5, Informative

    https://kickass.to/three-stories-j-d-salinger-pdf-t8257205.html

    https://torcache.net/torrent/ED8F9DE4B9151B3B0E5B998CAF7A124E9E7B0E17.torrent?title=%5Bkickass.to%5Dthree.stories.j.d.salinger.pdf

    magnet:?xt=urn:btih:ED8F9DE4B9151B3B0E5B998CAF7A124E9E7B0E17&dn=three+stories+j+d+salinger+pdf&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Ftracker.istole.it%3A80%2Fannounce&tr=udp%3A%2F%2Fopen.demonii.com%3A1337

    Slashdot fucks up magnet links, but the hash is right there: ED8F9DE4B9151B3B0E5B998CAF7A124E9E7B0E17

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    Thank you, Edward Snowden.

    "Arguments from authority are worthless." —Carl Sagan
  3. Whoooo.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    .....oooooosh.

  4. Overrated by dargaud · · Score: 5, Interesting

    As a foreigner, I'd never heard of Salinger or Catcher in the Rye. When I first made it to the US, my friend gave me the book: "You HAVE to read that". I was underwhelmed and to this day still do not understand what all the fuss is about. A story about a whiney teenager with too much money for his own good ? This describe America pretty well to me !!!

    --
    Non-Linux Penguins ?
    1. Re:Overrated by Quimo · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Read some other novels from the 1950's and you will see how different it is from other books of the time. Yes compared to current novels it is somewhat underwhelming but compared to its contemporaries it is something completely new.

    2. Re:Overrated by cffrost · · Score: 5, Insightful

      As a foreigner, I'd never heard of Salinger or Catcher in the Rye. When I first made it to the US, my friend gave me the book: "You HAVE to read that". I was underwhelmed and to this day still do not understand what all the fuss is about. A story about a whiney teenager with too much money for his own good ? This describe America pretty well to me !!!

      No way, god damn it. I think "The Catcher in the goddamn Rye" is one of the best goddamn books there is. Hell, I think it even won a few o' them fancy goddamn awards, but I can't remember their goddamn names.

      --
      Thank you, Edward Snowden.

      "Arguments from authority are worthless." —Carl Sagan
    3. Re:Overrated by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Personally, I think Salinger's best, and most accessible, work is "Nine Stories". Have a go at that, if you are interested. How can you resist such titles as, "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" and "For Esmé – with Love and Squalor" . . . ?

      A story about a whiney teenager with too much money for his own good ?

      A lot of famous literary works can be summed up in simple sentences:

      • "Romeo and Juliet" - Kids from the wrong families want to get married, and things go terribly wrong.
      • "The Da Vinci Code" - People solve puzzles and find stuff.
      • "Crime and Punishment" - Guy kills a loan shark, and worries about it later.
      • "The Metamorphis" - Dude turns into a cockroach, and his family freaks out.
      • "Jane Eyre" - Poor chick grows up, and gets married.
      • "Goethe's Faust" - Guy cuts a bad deal with the Devil.
      • "The Bible" - God creates humans, and claims to be good and loving, but spends most of his time making life miserable for humans.
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  5. The mystery of how the story got out by KBehemoth · · Score: 5, Funny

    Slightly overweight visitor: "Ok, Glass..."
    Heavily-Armed Librarian Guardian: "What did you say?"
    Slightly overweight visitor: "Uh, I said... looking classy... Looking classy, Mr. Salinger!"
    Heavily-Armed Librarian Guardian: "Shh."

    [ later that day ]

    Heavily-Armed Librarian Guardian: "I wonder why that guy was wearing a Guy Fawkes mask."

  6. Re:That's terrible... Salinger won't write any mor by westlake · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is a great example of where copyright helps to encourage authors to write more. The fact that this copy has been leaked, and pirated massively means that Salinger has no incentive to write any more! We need to punish the perpetrators thoroughly.

    It is a disincentive to trust your unpublished manuscripts, papers and memoirs to Princeton --- it is easier to speak candidly if no one living will have to bear the consequences.

  7. Re:That's terrible... Salinger won't write any mor by Opportunist · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Nobody understands copyright law.

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