The Colbert in the Rye

I think I forgot to tell everyone to read a book by J.D. Salinger for your homework assignment. I was going to tell everyone. I thought I had told everyone. But now that I think of it, I think I forgot. Sorry.

So, for tonight's show, just nod your head when everyone else does and pick a part that is your favorite part of the book. Just fake it and you'll get by just fine. I haven't read it either, so I'm going out on a limb and I'm going to say the part where the Catcher was actually in the Rye was my favorite part.

Anyway, Stephen had a short summary of the book. Turns out it is quite familiar to me, I guess because I saw the movie. You know, the one where Matthew Broderick skips school and sings in a parade. I loved that movie.

We were so close to hearing Stephen read the book to us, but then there was that annoying "Sorry Technical Difficulties" graphic and a scary attorney with legal papers that Stephen had to sign. We'll never know what could have been.

Tobias Wolff, author of "This Boy's Life," sat down with Stephen to discuss "The Catcher in the Rye." They did discuss it and then Stephen had a second guest to talk about Salinger. It was Shane Salerno who wrote a book, "Salinger" about Salinger. If I didn't know better, I'd think it was Salinger Night.

Stephen got to the one important paragraph in the book, that which above all, was so important.  But Shane Salerno focused more on events and people that were important.. J.D. Salinger wrote every day and soon, those words will be released for all of us to read.

I do so enjoy when Stephen uses his Book Club set. He's sitting in a nice comfy chair, as is the guest. He's sipping/chugging a tall glass of Chardonnay. It makes me feel as if I'm just as classy as Stephen Colbert.