About this title: Two long short stories first published in the "New Yorker" in the 1950s, "Raise High the Roof Beam", "Carpenters and Seymour: an Introduction" are each narrated by writer Buddy Glass, a character often said to be a portrait of the author himself. Both are stream of consciousness narratives, focusing on the life of Seymour, the eldest Glass brother ...
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Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Mass-market paperback
Publisher: Bantam Books
Date Published: 1981
ISBN-13:9780553248999ISBN:0553248995
Description: Good. No dust jacket as issued. slight water damage to cover and first few pages, rest of pages are crisp and clean, easily read, good binding, 5-30-08. Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. Audience: General/trade. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Date Published: 1994
ISBN-13:9780140237511ISBN:0140237518
Description: Good. **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Penguin
Date Published: 1994
ISBN-13:9780140237511ISBN:0140237518
Description: Fine. AS NEW BOOK WITH MISSING TITLE PAGE-COVER WITH LIGHT DAMAGE-COMPLETELY UNREAD-EXCELLENT CONDITION-READ ONCE CAREFULLY-TRUSTED DEVON (UK) BASED SELLER-IN STOCK-SENT WITHIN 1 WORKING DAY-AVAILABLE BY EMAIL FOR QUERIES-NO QUIBBLE REFUND IF NOT COMPLETELY SATISFIED- read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: PENGUIN BOOKS LTD Country = UNITED KINGDOM
Date Published: 1994
ISBN-13:9780140237511ISBN:0140237518
Description: BRAND NEW PAPERBACK. 144 pages. (144 pages) contains two stories, focusing on the life of seymour, the eldest glass brother and exploring the brothers' quest for enlightenment. (Paperback) read more
Binding: Mass-market paperback
Publisher: Bantam Books
Date Published: 1971
ISBN-13:9780553248999ISBN:0553248995
Description: Fair. No dust jacket as issued. cover repaired + a few bends-front cover. Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. Audience: General/trade. read more
Description: Satisfaction Guaranteed. Shipped quickly. Hardcover. Revised Ed. Used, very good. Very good overall with light to moderate wear. No dust jacket. read more
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Bantam
Date Published: 1965
Description: Very Good. 16mo-over 5¾"-6¾" tall. Please email us if you would like further information or if you would like us to send you a picture of the book. Thanks for looking! read more
Edition: First Edition, Third Issue
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Little Brown, Boston
Date Published: 1959
Description: Very Good/Good. 248pgs. Gray cloth, gilt lettering. fading along extremities and spine. Corners Square. Unclipped jacket has closed tears, chips on spine, panels. Two stories that originally appeared in the New Yorker Magazine. Dedication page opposite copyright page. read more
"I read the first story about three years ago shortly after I got to Boston while I was on a Salinger kick. But the second story took me a lot longer to get through. I started it several times, but I only just got all the way through. "Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters" is an easier read because of the clear plot and more traditional structure, although it does have many interesting digressions. "Seymour: An Introduction" is essentially a stream of conscious consisting of descriptions and reminisces about Seymour by his brother Buddy. "Seymour" has more depth and offers greater insight into the characters, but for me the haphazard style was much harder to get through. I wonder why these stories are always packaged together; perhaps it's because their styles are so different."
"I wish I could give this book two different ratings--obviously for the two drastically different stories. As it is I have to settle for subtracting a star from the 5-star rating I would have given this if it had been "Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters" alone.
From a sense of charity alone, I'd give "Seymour: An Introduction" one star. When other reviewers advise skipping it, they aren't kidding. Not only is "Seymour: An Introduction" a tedious, unpleasant read, but it's the pretentious sort that does more than imply that there's something wrong with you as a reader if you have any qualms with it; you just don't "get" it.
The narrator, Buddy Glass, talks more about his love of Seymour than he talks of Seymour. Pages are devoted to doting on the greatness of Seymour's poetry, which is never included. Buddy is just so in love with his own opinions, and with his brother's greatness. He includes notes Seymour had written in response to Buddy's short stories. "My brother was such a genius. Need proof? Here's what he said about my writing." Maybe I'm interpreting it as being more egotistical than it is, but regardless, it seems one step away from posting his grocery list. (Perhaps it's amusing only to me that these notes remind me of the ones Salinger's daughter decided to include in her memoir. Both were bad decisions.) However, there is one letter from Seymour among these notes which gives a much appreciated break from Buddy Glass and all of his old man rambling.
It didn't take long to realize I wasn't going to enjoy reading it, but I soldiered on simply for a sense of closure. It had some value, but only as a resource for those researching Seymour and/or the Glass family. I happen to be engaging in such research, but I still found reading it to be an overall miserable experience.
Don't get me wrong. Do buy the book. Just read "Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters" and call it a night. It was actually one of the most enjoyable Salinger stories I've read, which perhaps sets "Seymour: An Introduction" up to be even more of a disappointment. You'll learn far more about Seymour in it than in the story titled after him, and you won't have the same urge to give up on literature altogether. The inclusion of Seymour's diary entries gives a glimpse into a side of Seymour and Muriel not apparent in "A Perfect Day for Bananafish.""
"I reread this book for the first time since high school. I was surprised by how much I liked it. I really liked how Salinger shares minute little details about his characters. I especially liked the almost romantic relationship between Buddy and the old man. I also liked how he used the heat to reflect Buddy's rising anger towards his car-mates. I also like how the apartment cools along with Buddy's emotions.
The only reason I am giving this book 4 stars instead of 5 is because the second half of the book, Seymour: An Introduction, is not nearly as entertaining or accessible as Raise High."
"There were times when I was reading this book that I wondered whether or not I should reconsider Salinger as my favorite author... but then I realized why. Salinger does not write "skim-worthy" sentences. I really feel like the depth of his writing cannot be grasped if a person is not reading them with the utmost concentration. His short stories (Riase HIgh the Roof Beam, Carpenters and others I have read) seem, more or less, useless. In terms of a specific story, they are. But it's what a person /gains/ from them, the thoughts that are provoked, that are crucial. Additionally, Seymour, an Introduction, was basically Salinger rambling on aimlessly about his brother. But it really made me consider the depth of his love, the tragedy of his death, the words and thoughts that Buddy Glass used years after the death... it was provoking and I found that I dog-eared a number of corner because a specific sentence or paragraph really called to me. I greatly admire Salinger's writing and am glad I completed this book."
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