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Went back to the Glass family (and others) and Mr. Salinger for #13: Nine Stories. The collection was published in 1953, although most of the stories had previously been published in The New Yorker. Three of the stories feature members of the famous Glass family. A Perfect Day for Bananafish is the story of eldest son Seymour's suicide. Uncle Wiggily in Connecticutt is about two women getting drunk together in Connecticutt, during which one tells the other of the man she once loved, Walter Glass, who died during the war. The third is Down at the Dinghy, a rare peak into the life of Boo Boo Tannenbaum (nee Glass). It's also, for me, the most moving of the stories, as Boo Boo coaxes her sweet, hurt young son from his father's dinghy, where he has taken retreat.

The others stories are equally wonderful, especially the final one, Teddy, which packs quite a punch. Teddy himself could easily be a member of the Glass menagerie and the theme of the damaged genius-child and spiritual search are reminiscent of so much other Salinger writing.

On to Seymour, An Introduction and Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters.