Re: Inverted Forests

Tim O'Connor (oconnort@nyu.edu)
Fri, 25 Jul 1997 10:29:58 -0400 (EDT) 

 
I'm happy to see that "The Inverted Forest" has invigorated things here!
Unfortunately I'm wretchedly pressed for time but wanted to note one
detail that caught my eye.

Mattis said:

> I agree with Rod that Bunny was almost bizarre, she is so far from
> anyone or anything I know that I can't relate to her at all - does anyone
> have any experiences with this type of person?

I once dated someone who had that kind of unreal outlook on life and
relationships ... but the character she most reminds me of is Holly
Golightly, from "Breakfast at Tiffany's" -- even down to the false
identity and abandoned family.  I read the story when I first received 
it (thanks to a benevolent scholar who sent me a copy), and then last
week read it straight through, twice in a row, much the way I might
replay a song on an album.  I agree that Bunny and her background really
blindsided me, and that I am still not sure what to make of her (except 
for the reminder of the old girlfriend and the Truman Capote reference).  

That, anyhow, is the closest I can come to getting a fix on this
character.  

Sideline: Curious about the date of the novella, I did a search in a few
online catalogs early this morning.  I found that the Capote book was
published in 1958.  In my various investigations, I found a curious
publication that I had not previously known of (but have not had a
chance to check against Jack Sublette's bibliography):

           AUTHOR: Salinger, J. D. (Jerome David), 1919-
             TITLE: [Inverted forest. Japanese]
                    Tosaku no mori : tanpenshu. II / [yakusha Karita Motoshi,
                    Atsumi Akio].
           EDITION: Shohan.
         PUBLISHED: Tokyo : Arachi Shuppansha, 1968.
  PHYSICAL DETAILS: 187 p. : ill. ; 20 cm.

       CALL NUMBER: PS3537.A426 I6716 1968
         LOCATIONS: ORI
            SERIES: Sarinja senshu.

     OTHER AUTHORS: Karita, Motoshi.
                    Atsumi, Akio.
            AUTHOR: Salinger, J. D. (Jerome David), 1919-...(continued)
     OTHER ENTRIES: Salinger, J. D. (Jerome David), 1919- . Slight rebellion
                    off Madison. Japanese.
                    Salinger, J. D. (Jerome David), 1919- . Young girl in 1941
                    with no waist at all. Japanese.
                    Salinger, J. D. (Jerome David), 1919- . Girl I knew.
                    Japanese.
                    Salinger, J. D. (Jerome David), 1919- . Blue melody.
                    Japanese.

             NOTES: Translation of five short stories: Slight rebellion off
                    Madison; A young girl in 1941 with no waist at all; A 
		    girl I knew; Blue melody; The inverted forest.
                    Colophon title.

Unlike the bootleg "uncollected stories," this appears to be a
legitimate publication.  I'm curious about the provenance of this book;
if I find more details (or if Will has his copy of the bibliography at
hand 8-), I'll make a note of what I find, or Will will.  (Will he?)

Cheers!

--tim o'connor