JD Salinger sues over book sequel

JD Salinger is suing the writer of an unauthorised sequel to his novel Catcher in the Rye.

Author JD Salinger has launched legal action to prevent the publication of a book being marketed as a sequel to his 1951 novel Catcher in the Rye.

The writer, who is now 90 years old, has hired international lawyers to sue a man calling himself John David California over his work Coming Through the Rye.

He filed papers in a New York court, claiming that the book is neither a parody, nor a criticism of the original novel. Instead it is a "rip-off, pure and simple".

The papers state that Salinger is "fiercely protective of his intellectual property".

Coming Through the Rye picks up the story of Holden Caulfield as a 76-year-old who, instead of running away from prep school, escapes from a nursing home.

Salinger even makes an appearance in the story, as a writer agonising over whether or not to re-launch the story of Caulfield.

The book was due for publication in the UK this month, but the filing of the lawsuit means it will now be delayed.

In response to Salinger's actions, the writer of the sequel, who claims to live in Sweden, said: "To me this is a story about an old man. It's a love story about an author and his character.

"I did not mean to cause him any trouble," he added.

Salinger has previously refused to give away filming rights for Catcher in the Rye and in 2003 clocked the BBC from staging a television version.

Other works written by JD Salinger include Franny and Zooey and Nine Stories.