JD Salinger sues to stop publication of Catcher in the Rye sequel

Jun 2, 2009, 18:16 GMT

San Francisco - Reclusive author JD Salinger is taking legal action to prevent the publication of a new novel billed as a sequel to his classic 1951 tale of teenage angst, The Catcher in the Rye, according to legal papers filed in a Manhattan court.

Salinger, 90, claims that the new novel, 60 Years Later: Coming Through the Rye, is a clear infringement of his copyright. The author, who calls himself JD California, lives in Sweden, according to the lawsuit.

The novel features the hero of the original book living in an old age home in upstate New York and is a 'rip-off pure and simple,' the lawsuit, filed Monday, claimed.

Apart from the author, the lawsuit also cited London-based publisher Windupbird, Swedish publisher Nicotext and California-based SCB Distributors.

The novel, which is dedicated to Salinger, is due to be published in the UK and the US later this year.