Dream Catcher was a gift from my friend Natalie who is also a J.D. Salinger fan. (Or at least a fan of his writing). Peggy Salinger is the oldest of his two children. Personally I was surprised to find out he even had children. They grew up in rural Cornish, New Hampshire where Salinger moved while still publishing and lives to this day. The book gives a little family history with grandparents and parents, then concentrates on her childhood. At the start she cites a large number of quotes from her father's works, which made me wonder about her motives for writing. But this dies down and by the end you realize the last thing Peggy is doing is cashing in on her name. Dream Catcher is the story of a girl growing up under adverse conditions, and almost not making it. The author discusses her childhood in isolated Cornish, then boarding school, living on her own, and eventually college. Boarding school? Yes, J.D. Salinger, enemy of boarding school phonies, sent both his children to one. More than anything to get them out of the way. Home life was very utilitarian, perhaps one should just say cheap. Plus her father jumped from one eastern philosophy to another. What does a sick child do when her parents think she can heal herself? I can't do the book justice trying to give an overview. Peggy did survive, with lingering emotional scars. Today Ms Salinger is a Chaplain and a proud mother.
The number of references to physical abuse of children in other rural families was disturbing. Combined with other sources I have to say that while Americans say we love our children, the actual violence statistics take the luster off that declaration. Having said that I should probably be clear, only mental torture took place at the Salinger house. Her reason for writing the book is more of a katharsis and setting people in reality. The theme of the book can be oversimplified as 'no, it wasn't great growing up as J.D. Salinger's daughter'. Having a twisted childhood is one thing, but having a never ending line of people saying it must have been idyllic is quite another.
Now the question most readers want answered. "Sure, your childhood was a nightmare, but did he keep writing?". The answer is yes. While never exposed to his work growing up he did once show her a filing system for keeping track of works done, in progress, and otherwise. If you ask me there will be a lot of posthumous publishing down the road.