 Although Salinger tried to escape public exposure as much as possible , he continued to struggle with unwanted attention from both the media and the public . Readers of his work and students from nearby Dartmouth College often came to Cornish in groups , hoping to catch a glimpse of him . In May 1986 Salinger learned that the British writer Ian Hamilton intended to publish a biography that made extensive use of letters Salinger had written to other authors and friends . Salinger sued to stop the book 's publication . The court in Salinger v. Random House ruled that Hamilton 's extensive use of the letters , including quotation and paraphrasing , was not acceptable since the author 's right to control publication overrode the right of fair use . The book was not published . Later , Hamilton published In Search of J.D. Salinger : A Writing Life ( 1935 – 65 ) , but this book was more about his experience in tracking down information and the copyright fights over the planned biography than about Salinger himself . 
