Former Publishers Weekly editor Sara Nelson has joined the legal fight against J.D. Salinger’s efforts to block the publication of “60 Years Later–Coming Through the Rye.” UPDATE: On her Twitter feed, Nelson adds this comment: “For the record, I did not ‘join’ the anti-Salinger camp — just don’t think this book will hurt [‘The Catcher in the Rye’].”
Yesterday the publishing reporter filed a declaration as an expert literary witness in the defense of author John David California (a pseudonym for author Fredrik Colting), Windupbird Publishing and SCB Distributors–the parties sued by Salinger to block 60 Years, a “critical analysis” that revisits the author’s classic novel, “The Catcher in the Rye.” The law firm of Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz argue that Salinger’s legal team cannot prove “commercial harm” will result from the book, filing expert testimony from Nelson and two literature professors.
Here’s an excerpt from Nelson’s expert testimony: “Through my experience covering the publishing industry as a reporter and an editor, I understand the myriad variables that contribute to–or detract from–a book’s commercial success … 60 Years will have no detrimental impact on sales of Catcher … Anticipated sales of 60 Years, a critical analysis by a little-known author, pale in comparison to Catcher’s success … It is more likely that 60 Years, through its critical content and the attendant publicity it will likely generate, will actually contribute to renewed interest in, discussion of, and consequently sales of, Catcher.”