Shelfology Book Pairing

And Seymour - an Introduction

by J. D. Salinger

First published in the New Yorker in the 1950s, Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: an Introduction are two novellas narrated by Buddy Glass, a character often said to be a portrait of Salinger himself. In the first, Buddy has taken leave from the army during World War II to attend the wedding of the eldest Glass brother, Seymour, and an atmosphere of portentous suspense sets the scene for the tragedy that will follow. In the second, Buddy reminisces about Seymour and the novella unfolds into a deep and far-reaching exploration of a complex and sad character which displays all the tenderness and subtlety which distinguish the best of Salinger's writing.

by Jack Kerouac

Jack Kerouac's groundbreaking novel soon to be a major motion picture with a star-studded cast. In what is sure to be one of the major cinematic events of 2012, Jack Kerouac's legendary Beat classic, "On the Road," will finally hit the big screen. Directed by Walter Salles ("The Motorcycle Diaries"; "Paris, Je T'Aime") and with a cast of some of Hollywood's biggest stars, including Kristen Stewart (The Twilight Saga), Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund, Kirsten Dunst, Amy Adams ("Julie & Julia," "The Fighter"), Tom Sturridge, and Viggo Mortensen (the Lord of the Rings trilogy, "The Road"), the film will attract new fans who will be inspired by Kerouac's revolutionary masterwork.