The nine stories in this book began to be written in 1948 and were published in 1953. First among them is the short story "A Perfect Day for Bananafish," which was first published in the magazine "New Yorker" in January 1948, three years before the publication of "The Catcher in the Rye," which decisively contributed to the author's establishment in the literary community.
Salinger presents episodes from American society's life a few years after World War II, a society disoriented amidst its comfort and the new customs of its time of peace. He allows his characters to speak and reveal their thoughts, their foolishness and their tragedy. Written with a cold eye, macabre humor, and surrealistic shades, these stories are an authentic example of Salinger's writing.