The Catcher in the Rye
Bantam Books, 1972. Paperback. Signed and inscribed by J.D. Salinger on the first leaf, "To Ruth Rogers, in friendship, J. D. Salinger Daytona Beach March 1973." Good condition. Salinger deeply regretted writing "The Catcher in the Rye" and signed examples are difficult to find.
Dr. Rogers was a homeopathic physician, practicing in Daytona Beach, Florida, when she was visited by Salinger and his young girlfriend, Joyce Maynard, in March 1973. Maynard describes the visit in her 1998 memoir, At Home in the World, "In March... the four of us travel to Daytona Beach, Florida. Jerry has chosen Daytona Beach, in part, at least, on the recommendation of Dr. Lacey, who knows of a homeopathic physician there who favorites the high potencies he and Jerry believe in." Though her memoir doesn't introduce Dr. Rogers by name, and mentions Salinger made the appointment under a false name, it also documents a deeply traumatic event for Maynard. Whether she witnessed the presentation of this inscribed copy is unclear, her memory of the day is, in her own words, somewhat hazy, but she does note Salinger and the doctor spent a fair amount of time in deep discussion regarding various homeopathic schools and references. Salinger sent Maynard home shortly after the appointment, asking her to "clear your things out of my house. If you go now, you can have everything gone before the children and I get back..."
References: Joyce Maynard, At Home in the World: A Memoir, pages 202-207. Item #311162
Price: $12,500.00