A Judge Halts Publication of a "The Catcher in the Rye" Sequel

The publication of the sequel to J. D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye," by a Swedish author, is being delayed in the United States, the Associated Press reports.

U.S. District Judge Deborah Batts said she will carefully examine copyright law before ruling whether "60 Years Later: Coming Through the Rye" alters Salinger's original enough that it qualifies to be published as a "fair use" of a copyrighted work. Until that ruling, publication of the book, which was scheduled for U.S. release on Sept. 15, is blocked.

According to the New York Times, lawyers for Salinger argue that the new book, published in Britain, was too imitative and that Salinger's character, Holden Caulfield, was protected by copyright.

The book in question, by Fredrik Colting, who wrote the novel under the pseudonym John David California, describes itself as "An Unauthorized Fictional Examination of the Relationship Between J.D. Salinger and his Most Famous Character."

The restraining order placed on the publication of "60 Years Later: Coming Through the Rye" will last 10 days, during which the judge will decide whether or not it can be published or if the case should go to trial, the Hollywood Reporter reports.

So far, though, Judge Batts has disagreed with the defendants who claim that Colting's novel is just a commentary on the original.

"There is a great deal of substantial similarity in terms of format (specific phrases), expressions, the way he talks, in the ways the books are crafted, the short period of time in each, the fact that there are visits to Central Park, to the Museum of Natural History, the characters, the settings," she said.