The Easter egg is available in both desktop and mobile browsers, though you’ll definitely want to act fast if you want to see it without resorting to archives. It’s too soon to say if this is the start of a trend of movie-themed surprises, but we wouldn’t be surprised if this becomes the new norm — it’s a clever way to interest searchers in cinematic history.

Don’t expect audiobook versions. Although Matt had considered them, his father didn’t like the thought of his books being adapted to other formats.

This is part of a broader attempt to explore J.D. Salinger’s life in the nine years since his death, including the first public exhibition of his personal archives (due this fall in the New York Public Library) and, eventually, the publication of the work that Salinger finished but never released.

It’s a watershed moment for digital books. Salinger has an almost mythological status (in part due to Catcher in the Rye‘s controversies), and now that legacy is more likely to carry on. There’s also simple economic reality at work. Much like The Beatles, the Salinger family was faced with either going where the customers are or risking the possibility that whole generations might forget (or at least, not pay for) their work.

A novel, Uma McCormack’s The Last Best Hope, will follow in February 2020. It’ll be published by Simon & Schuster and introduce some of the new characters you’ll see in Picard. You may want to read up, then, especially if you aren’t a die-hard fan.

It’s far too soon to tell whether or not you’ll feel somewhat left out by skipping the books. With that said, the very existence of the titles shows how much trust CBS is placing in Picard. It’s betting that there’s pent-up demand for a TV show continuing Jean-Luc’s story, and it’s willing to back side projects that could further fuel the hype.