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Catcher in the Rye
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(94 reviews)
- J. D. Salinger's famous and enduring chronicle of Holden Caulfield's journey from innocence to experience is the quintessential coming-of-age novel--though it's an unusual one, in which the hero tries to cling to the simplicity of childhood, achieving a kind of maturity almost in spite of himself. As the novel begins, Holden runs away from his stifling prep school, which is full of "phonies" and where he has, in fact, flunked out. Holing up in a New York City hotel, he has a series of small adventures and missed opportunities, all of which emphasize his loneliness and alienation from the world.... A visit to his kid sister Phoebe (in which he memorably articulates his confused notion of being a "catcher in the rye") provides a ray of hope for Holden, as do the ducks in Central Park that he worries about so compulsively: though they do indeed disappear in the winter, they return in the spring. The novel's final image, of Phoebe riding the carousel in the park while her brother looks on, in tears, holds out the idea that there may be a future for Holden as well. Salinger's 1951 novel was a bestseller and became an immediate cult favorite, but it has also, over the years, been subject to criticism and even censorship because of its liberal use of profanity, its frank conversations about sex (though no actual sex takes place), and its generally irreverent view of the adult world.
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User Reviews for
Catcher in the Rye
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By
PixarFan2007
09/26/2008
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Summary:
I would give this a 3.5. I read it in my Senior year at High School. It was not as bad as some people made it out to be.
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By
guess_who510
12/12/2007
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Summary:
I don't think the mojority of those who have reviewed this book quite understand that 'Cather in the rye' was the first novel of teenagers. Relating to teenage life, so of course Holden is going to whine! obviously Holden is going to act like a spoilt child one minute and a have a mature view the next. ergh! Great book.
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By
MommyL
07/08/2006
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I didn't think it was as "classic" as everyone says it is, but it was a nice read. I liked it.
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By
monsterfreak911
12/23/2005
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It amazes me that a single short book like Catcher in the Rye can have such a profound impact. Salinger wrote almost nothing else of lasting value (yeah, some of his short stories are OK, but they aren't classics), and yet he is consistently rated as one of the most popular U.S. authors ever. It's very easy to argue that more prolific American authors (e.g., Twain, Hemingway, Fitzgerald) should be revered above Salinger. But it's impossible to dispute the simple truth that Catcher in the Rye touches a raw nerve that eludes all but a few other modern novels. And Salinger's mysterious personal life makes him an even more interesting character. His status as a recluse is legendary. And I have yet to read a good analysis of Salinger's feelings about Eastern religions. It's clear from Catcher in the Rye that he has been influenced by Buddhism, but critics don't seem to write about that very much. Also, I'd be very curious to know if it's true that he's been writing and hiding manuscript after manuscript since the publication of Catcher. What a scene it would be if we suddenly discover that Salinger has written 20 unpublished novels...
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By
genghis the hun
12/20/2005
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You should have been going to school in the fifties when this came out. Many monkeys who taught any kind of comp or writing class had the poor suckers under their thumb writing essays about Holden Caulfield and teenage angst. My advice to you. Avoid at all costs and if forced to read, start drinking heavily before picking up the book. I only suggest legal substances but I'm sure some of you could look to your other alternatives before you would be forced to read this tripe.
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