Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger

For me, this book stands as the 20th century gold standard for short story writing. Not that I'm well-versed in a ton of short story writers, but, nonetheless, this is the best I've ever come across. The book is a collection of 9 short stories--I'm not sure why he didn't go for 10; maybe to have this sweet first edition cover
--and a few are of the Glass family, some have crazy story lines and ambiguous endings, and all are great. Everybody loves top 10 lists so I think it is appropriate to rate these stories in order of my liking.


9.) Teddy
This story appears last and perhaps because it has such a shocking and disturbing last line. The beginning of this was quite good but then the main character, Teddy, begins talking about metaphysics and Buddhism which is not as fascinating as Salinger's ordinary plots.

8.) De Daumier-Smith's Blue Period
This is one of two stories that uses first person. It is narrated by a painter who begins teaching art to students and becomes enamored by one of his students who is a nun. This one didn't really resonate with me though.

7.) The Laughing Man
Inside this story lies another story that is incredibly weird. The tone of the inside story follows the tone of the storyteller who becomes disheartened by a doomed relationship. I just read that this is often regarded as the finest of the 9 stories. I may disagree.

6.) Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut
I actually don't remember much of this story except that I liked it a lot. Good enough for 6, I know that.

5.) Pretty Mouth and Green My Eyes
Nearly the entire of this story is a phone conversation and it appears that one of the men on the phone is in bed at that moment with the other man's wife. The man whose wife is out is worrying about her and his friend tries to calm him down. I probably shouldn't give away the ending because that's the whole story. However, the ending is a little ambiguous, in my opinion.

4.) Just Before the War with the Eskimos
This story is awesome! It requires careful reading but it is rewarding. One of the characters is a lot like Holden Caulfield.

3.) For Esme - With Love and Squalor
Really, the top 3 is interchangeable but having to choose, this is what I went with. This story is probably the second most popular of the collection. It is also feels a little like Lolita. Esme is a really fascinating character and when you find out the precise definition of squalor it makes the story much better.

2.) Down at the Dinghy
I had a really hard time not putting this at 1. It is, in a word, incredible. And it is the only story where Boo Boo Glass makes an appearance, and she is lovely. Great ending to the story. Read it.

1.) A Perfect Day for Bananafish
This was the second thing I ever read by Salinger and it confirmed as the real deal. This story exploded when it was first published in The New Yorker and it continues to stun today.