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Summary: Franny Franny Franny
Review: To me, reading this book solidified and birthed my new philosophy. I don't recall much of the Zooey story, but the Franny story was stimulating to the extreme. While I often think that I may outgrow Salinger as I'm not nearly as confused as I once was, his writing is most likely instrumental in me growing. "Franny" and "Perfect Day for Bananafish" are indescribably potent. Thank you Franny for giving me the courage to possible be a complete nobody.
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Summary: A Wonderful Novel by a Gifted Writer!
Review: J.D. Salinger writes in a style that leaves the reader hungry for each and every page. Two stories that keep the reader interested, focused and wanting more.My high school aged daughter had this title on her required reading list and I can see why. A truly gifted writer.
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Summary: Interesting and Beautiful
Review: Franny and Zooey is an excellent book that forces the reader to get into the characters' heads and draws the reader into a search within oneself. It is a beautifully written story of two people who know that they are different and that phony people are everywhere. Franny becomes obsessed with the "Jesus prayer", and has a nervous breakdown. Zooey shows Franny that her obsession with the "Jesus prayer" is just another example of phoniness. This book really allows the reader to get wrapped up in the characters and identify with the characters in a wonderful way. A very incredible book.
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Summary: A realistc novel
Review: Franny and Zooey is a novel that is so simple yet so complete. Salinger sums up all the lessons of life and religion. The book itself is separated into 2 stories, "Franny" and then "Zooey". Both stories are complex dealing with philosophy, psychology, and religion. However, the central theme of this novel is love and intelligence. This book examines the depths of human belief and happiness while at the same time the idea of resisting phoniness travels through it. Franny is a college student dealing with Life's Big Questions while Zooey helps her find the purpose of life. Salinger creates characters that any human being can relate to. We strongly recommend this book.. Once again, another wonderful book written by Salinger.
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Summary: I Have to Do this
Review: I must respond to the previous reviewer (although I already have a lengthy review of my own) and say that this book is anything but cynical. The message is that Franny's denunciation of the "section men" and all the other "phonies" is wrong because each one of those people represents a piece of Christ, they are the "fat lady." It's a pity that these high school kids who wrote the review might be too young, or more likely just too ignorant (heck, they're my age), to understand the book.
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Summary: Franny Glass, will you marry me?
Review: Honestly this book affects me much deeper than most stories I read. I think I am in love with Franny Glass and I despair of ever meeting a girl like her in "real" life. I loved every word that came out of Franny's mouth and have promised myself that anytime I feel that I am becoming too cynical, haughty, ironic, and so on, I would read this book and just admire the simplicity and generosity of Franny and Zooey. More than anything else (to me at least) this book sounds off an alarm or a talisman against the idiotic nonsense which may overwhelm an individual (such as mediatrash, career-hunting, life-decisions, academic conformity, insincerty, work, school, your boss or teacher) and the difficulty of remaining pure and not embittered by everything. The highlight of the book is simply Franny's (and Zooey's) innocent, empassioned, and original thoughts. Her words have a clean freshness and seem to have managed to maintain a sublime originality, unfettered by the conformity of thought dished at out universities or (even worse) just about anywhere else where there are people. It breaks my heart that that moron Lane does not understand what a gem he has in his girlfriend Franny, and how intently she listens to him and writes him and obvsiously values him while he does not recognize that while he blabs about his presumably pretentious and mediocre English paper (ugh!) he is sitting at lunch with a beautiful genius.
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Summary: Cynical but Realistic
Review: Franny and Zooey is an intriguing book that causes the reader to view the world in a different light. Although often criticized for being overly cynical and sarcastic, I found Zooey's sarcasm toward his mother amusing, adding a humorous touch to a somewhat depressing message. Salinger's cynicism sheds light into the reality of life-corruption is widespread, but an obsession with correcting it can be harmful. Franny demonstrated this point when she suffered a nervous breakdown, caused by her stress from school. The reader is able to relate to Franny's problems and, therefore, connects with the book. I would highly recommend it to anyone seeking to read a realistic story with a bit of sarcasm.
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Summary: A literary staple
Review: Like many people I was first introduced to the works of Salinger in my teens. At the time I first read Franny and Zooey I was 19 and going through a typically teenage rough patch. It may be dramatic but I can still say, nearly 12 years later, that this book had a huge affect on me - pulling me out of a very dark period. Salingers 'voice' is clear and authoritative and his characters fancy themselves as mentors - stearing wayward youth from the edge. Like a lot of teens, this is exactly what I was looking for. Last month I re-read the book and found it to still be a wonderful story but much of the inspiration I took from it years ago seems weak and at times even patronising today. Perhaps I have become too cynical. Franny and Zooey is a wonderfully written story and evokes the mood of it's time. I would recommend this book to anyone, but I believe it's true power will be best appreciated by a younger audience.
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Summary: better than chicken soup...
Review: Whenever my life has taken a turn for the weird which I hadn't noticed, and I find myself needing the short route to my center, and perspective, I re-read this book.... (tens of times) I guess I've given away 200-300 copies over the course of my life... You must read it to the last page.
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Summary: Changed my perception of Literature
Review: Salinger's critics (including the honorable John Updike, jealous perhaps?) denounce Salinger's great love for his Glass Family. Others criticize the message of this novel, a transcendent,soaring message of hope and forgiveness. Maybe these traits are not popular with the traditionally cynical critic's circle, but the message and style of this novel have changed my life. These couple of stories are written so beautifully and subtley, while eliciting a strong, immediate emotional reaction in the reader. Franny is an extraordinary girl, but a universal enough character that I am continually able to identify with her and her struggles with sprituality and the phoniness of ego and self-centeredness. Salinger has encouraged me to start writing, to maybe convey some sort of simple truth through the written word. This book, like "Raise High.." and "Nine Stories," is mind bogglingly good. A masterpiece. Writer's should not be limited to the worldly, the material. Salinger dares to account for a greater force in our lives, and that's why we shine our shoes, even when we're on the radio.
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