From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia J._D._Salinger J.D. Salinger Salinger in 1951. Born Jerome David Salinger January 1 , 1919 ( 1919-01-01 ) (age 89) Manhattan , New York Occupation Novelist, writer Writing period 1940-1965 Notable work(s) The Catcher in the Rye (1951) Influences Sherwood Anderson , Anton Chekhov , F. Scott Fitzgerald ,