3be8/1233011583-the_catcher_in_the_rye.large.jpgI didn't realize that Salinger's book covers are so simple and elegant because his contract demanded that they be simple.

In the 1950s Salinger had a clause put in his publisher’s contracts that insisted only the text of the title of the book and his name were to appear on any future editions of his work, and absolutely no images.

It's an interesting post.

As a side note: I taught a book reviewing class this weekend and the teenagers in my class (all of whom were voracious and very good readers) weren't particularly crazy about Catcher in the Rye, although many of them appreciated Franny and Zooey. I wonder how Salinger's books will age in the twenty-first century.