Thursday, July 02, 2009


US judge bans 'Rye' book sequel
JD Salinger has also refused filming rights for his famous novel
A US judge has banned publication of a book promoted as a sequel to JD Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye.
US District Judge Deborah Batts ruled that Swedish author Fredrik Colting's novel too closely mirrored Mr Salinger's 1951 classic.
Mr Salinger brought the lawsuit against Mr Colting, with his lawyers calling the book a "rip-off pure and simple".
Mr Colting claims his book, featuring a character based on Salinger's hero, is a literary commentary not a sequel.
But Judge Batts, in her 37-page ruling issued in Manhattan, said the main character in Mr Colting's novel - Mr C - was "an infringement" on Mr Salinger's main character, Holden Caulfield.
She said the Swedish author's claim that he also wrote the book to critically examine the character Holden Caulfield, was "problematic and lacking in credibility".
The judge said Mr Colting had "taken well more from 'Catcher', in both substance and style, than is necessary for the alleged transformative purpose of criticising Salinger and his attitudes and behaviour".
She issued a preliminary injunction, indefinitely banning the publication, advertising or distribution of the book in the US. The book has already been published in the UK.

This report from BBC News where the full story can be read.

1 comment:

Perry Lennon said...

Did enjoy Sydney Morning Herald headline to this story

Brakes put on Holden!