The Catcher in the Rye

"The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger follows Holden Caufield on his two-day journey after being expelled from Pencey, a private all-boys school, for "not applying himself". Holden spends his journey in bars, hotels, and bus stations wasting away time. Being written in the early 50's, his risque cursing and sexual conversations only attribute to his troubled mind. In a world of phonies, Holden wants nothing more than the truth.
After his brother's traumatic death at age 13, Holden Caufield wants to simply preserve his childhood and innocence. He tells his sister Phoebe, "...I have to catch everybody as they start to go over the hill...I'd just be the catcher in the rye." He wants to protect himself and other children from the phony and lost world of adults. Unfortunately, Holden is trapt in the adult world and must experience situations beyond his years. Although he feels his innocence is lost, he still believes in the innocence of youth, as shown by his sister riding on the carousel.

I have heard about this 'brilliant" work of literture for many years. But until now have never read it. After reading it, I never missed anything. This is nothing but a priviledge wuss trying to be something that he never will be--a mature useful part of society. He constantly whines, projects his uselessness on others and has little to no ability to see that the phoniness his so hates in others is nothing but his own personality reflecting back to him. if he had to actually be responably for one second of his life and didn't live of the wealth of his parents, maybe just maybe he might amount to something. I wish I had the time i spent on reading this dreck back.

I am 30 and I just read the book for the first time. I knew about halfway through that it would become my favorite book. I dreaded each turned page because I knew I was closer to the end.

Maybe you've heard too much about it. Maybe you're buying it because you have to read it for school. Maybe you're sick of hearing people talk about it and want to read it so that you'll understand what all the fuss is about.
Just get it. Read it. You'll really like it. Promise.
(And, when you're done with this get Franny and Zooey and read that!)

Having been forced to read this horrid novel for English, I can say that it is possibly the most boring book. Looking back, I can't recall anything of importance happening. Angst angst angst. Did I read the same book as the 5 stars?

Innovative and enlightening? I think not. It's one dull page after another as Holden explores the woes of life. No teenager is this seriously depressed. Everything makes him feel lonely and sad. He swears every other word. Everyone is a phony. I had no patience for his lameness. I only got through it to pass the section on it.

They say he grieves for Allie. You hear more about random classmates of his than of his brother. No character can hold your attention in this book. It is so blah and bland, I can't think why anyone would want to read it, let alone read it again.