The Catcher in the Rye

By J.D. Salinger

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Average Rating: (See all 7 reviews) Format: Paperback, 208 pages, Revised edition Edition Published In: United Kingdom, 04 August 1994 Quantity Available: 65 Ships within 5-9 days "The Catcher in Rye" is the ultimate novel for disaffected youth, but it's relevant to all ages. The story is told by Holden Caulfield, a seventeen-year-old dropout who has just been kicked out of his fourth school. Throughout, Holden dissects the 'phony' aspects of society, and the 'phonies' themselves: the headmaster whose affability depends on the wealth of the parents, his roommate who scores with girls using sickly-sweet affection.Lazy in style, full of slang and swear words, it's a novel whose interest and appeal comes from its observations rather than its plot intrigues (in conventional terms, there is hardly any plot at all). Salinger's style creates an effect of conversation, it is as though Holden is speaking to you personally, as though you too have seen through the pretences of the American Dream and are growing up unable to see the point of living in, or contributing to, the society around you. Written with the clarity of a boy leaving childhood, it deals with society, love, loss, and expectations without ever falling into the clutch of a cliche. About the Author J D Salinger was born in 1919. He grew up in New York City, and wrote short stories from an early age, but his breakthrough came in 1948 with the publication in The New Yorker of 'A Perfect Day for Bananafish'. The Catcher in the Rye was his first and only novel, published in 1951. It remains one of the most translated, taught and reprinted texts, and has sold some 65 million copies. It was followed by three other books of short stories and novellas, the most recent of which was published in 1963. He lives in Cornish, New Hampshire. Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd ISBN: 014023750X EAN: 9780140237504 Dimensions: 19.0 x 128.0 x 1.0 centimeters

I decided to read the classics, To Kill a Mockingbird, Catcher in the Rye, A Brave New World, Animal Farm etc etc, I didn't like Catcher in the Rye at all. I thought that it was extreemly well written, but not my cup of tea. Hauldon Caulfield annoyed me, the constant whinging and complaining really got to me, that was the type of person who when I was a boarding school I would have told to get over it, whinging and moaning only ever annoyed other people and made them dislike you. While I thought this book was very well written and very good in that respect, I found it difficult to identify with the main character, so much to the point that I struggled to finish.

My friends at school had to read 'Catcher in the Rye' for their english class, but since I was going back through the books hailed as classics anyway, I figured I'd join them in reading it. This book is amazing. There's a very good reason this book is a classic. It has changed my life, not in any major way, but I think we're all influenced by every little thing we see, hear and do in this world, and this book's influence is not without a fair bit of weight. Holden's rambling is amazing as an entire book, and I found lots within the book humourous as well - especially for something as old as this. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

I adored this story. It is something I will continuely read again and again because I vibe with so much of Holden's thought and feeling. If you are not made to read this in school, then I highly suggest you pick it up regardless as it is a classic and is very important in literature as it is referred to in so many other books and even in TV shows etc. It is only a short story so just about anyone could read this classic.

What a magnificant book!!! I absolutely loved it, J.D Salinger done a perfect job. It really captures the mind of Holden Caufield, a boy that has been lost and forgotten in a society he doesn't fit in. The character of Holden Caufield is built up so well that you forget he is not a real human being. The story line is really great and you get a good look at this young boy's insecurities and hardships. I recommend this book to everyone!!!!

I loved it. I loved the somewhat senseless rambling. It all seemed to make sense to me, and most of the time Holden had the same views on things as I do. Especially when he goes to the theater and describes the people around him.
I too don't know what to make of the abrupt ending. But it is a good, quick and easy read.

Interesting book, quite rambling and unstructured in its format. I think its greatest feat is its first person view into the mind of a largely forgotten teenage boy. I'm not quite sure how I felt about the abrupt ending, although at the time the anti-climax seemed quite fitting.

Without a doubt, this book is my favourite book of all time.

Haulden Caulfield manages to express the world as he sees in it, exactly as I'd have said it when I was 16. Every other guy I know says that Haulden Caulfield perfectly expresses them as a teenager, only they were a bit more colourful with their language than Holden was with his labelling of everybody as "phony".

An absolutely fantastic must-read.