J.D. Salinger is so meta, and he doesn't even know it.

June 18, 11:10 AMNorfolk Books ExaminerLydia Netzer

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The offensive tome.

In one of the most astonishing examples of metafictional behavior ever: J.D. Salinger is suing to suppress the publication of a book that has been written *about* J.D. Salinger's desire to suppress mutations of his persona and his work.

Wow. My head is spinning.

Seems some Swede called Fredrik Colting has written a silly novel called 60 Years Later: Coming through the Rye, in which Salinger, as a character, attempts to kill Holden Caulfield, now a 76 year old man, in various ways. Salinger's lawyers posit that the book is a rip-off, but if the new book adds something significant, or has a new message, then the author, who writes under the name J.D. California, is protected. He can go on writing books like his previous hits The Porn Star Name Book, The Macho Man's Bad Joke Book, and The Macho Man's Drink Book. What a shock this pillar of the literary canon is in danger of being stifled!

No one is surprised that J.D. Salinger is reaching out to touch the world with the only thing he'll touch us with these days - the long arm of the law. But Salinger will be fine -- heck, Little Brown will probably release a new paperback edition of the novel to commemorate this latest assault to its content. The Swedish offender will be fine, and will sell way more copies of his silly book as a result of the controversy than he ever would have without it.

No one is genuinely worried about the principals in the suit, but what about the real victims here? What about, for example, Robert Burns, who write the original poem "Comin' Through the Rye"? Clearly, J.D. California is in violation of some kind of Thievy McStealery law there, lifting his title directly from the poem in this audacious manner. Or, more seriously now, what about Grace Livingston Hill, whose romance novel "Coming Through the Rye" will now forever be associated with this heinous attempt at literary satire. Think about it. Her novel says "Copyrighted Material" right on the cover.

Another title by Fredrik Colting, threat to western civilization.

No one is safe. Good luck with the suit, J.D. Salinger. And God bless. Your vigilance protects us all.