Catcher in the Rye

Rating:
Summary: A Great Milestone
Review: If there is a book to rival HUCKELBERRY FINN as the "Great American Novel," it is surely J.D. Salinger's "Catcher In The Rye".

This book has been lauded to the high heavens and banned to the brimstone of hell, but it keeps on selling and enthralling readers, mainly young readers, year after year. It is hard to believe that the book turns 50 this year. Holden will still be around long after Harry Potter has turned in his union card at the Home For Retired Wizards.

Slamming into the American consciousness with all the subtlety of a herd of bulls in a china shop, CATCHER took the reading public by storm with its publication on July 16, 1951. It hasn't stopped since. Why?

Essentially, it is because Holden Caulfield, the voice in the book, touches a nerve time after time in the book and that nerve alternately is connected to the humorously hilarious and the absurdly sad parts of the reader. I must admit, it helps to have a sense of humor and a sense of irony, but if you have that you are already a long way into the book.

What is the story about? It is an improbable story, to say the least. I think this is one part of its astounding power: the fact that it seems so vapid and powerless until you get into it, and then the hurricane-force power of it hits you and won't let go.

The book begins with Holden Caulfield, the 17-year-old narrator and protagonist, addressing the reader from a sanitarium or mental hospital in Southern California. He is about to tell us about a remarkable 48 hours that happened in the last December. Then we go into a long, long flashback in Holden's mind.

Holden starts his story at Pencey Prep School, on the Saturday afternoon of the old-school-rivalry football game with arch-adversary Saxon Hall. Holden is the manager of the school's fencing team, and he loses the team's equipment on the subway, and the story goes complicatedly into a freakish but funny nightmare from there, with Holden giving us a wry (RYE?) commentary all the way to the end. The end, as we said at the beginning, takes place at a mental hospital. After reading the book you will fully understand why.

One of the main themes of the book is the struggle between that which is authentic and that which is artificial. Holden wants to cut through artificiality to truth, but it evades him time after time.

The book also wrestles with the problem of innocence. Holden likes innocence. He sees a world of corruption and he sees very few innocents in it; most are darkly guilty as if touched by a contagion. But he cannot decide where innocense really resides.

Then there is the theme of death, a consistent harbinger throughout the book. Even though Holden is only 17, we can almost hear his own biological clock ticking.

Confusion and/or ambivalence about sexuality is a major part of the book as well. Holden is deeply heterosexual, but he is open to gay people; indeed people of all kinds when it comes to sexual chemistry. This was a bold move for Salinger, but
It moved a lot of people in the end; in post WWII America it was a tack to take straight into a whirlpool, but CATCHER caught something and stayed afloat.

A whole generation---actually perhaps two or three-- were influenced by this great book. If you've never read it, you owe it to yourself to immerse yourself in it. You will find yourself laughing and nodding. If anyone asks you what you are doing, just say, "Oh, I found this perfectly BORING book written 50 years ago. It's about this young kid and, well, you know." If they don't know the book they will probably shake their heads to humor you and go on, muttering ,"What's so interesting about an old book written 50 years ago?"

If you haven't read the book, nothing could make you understand. If you are reading it for the first time, chances are nothing will be able to make you put it down.

Also recommended: THE LOSERS' CLUB by Richard Perez

Rating:
Summary: do yourself a favour:don't read it
Review: If u value your time and have a life don't bother reading this book.It spoiled my trip to Bali as i had to read this book and it put me in a bad mood as the character of Holden is so twisted and demented that i just could not understand where the hell he was coming from.I'm 17 and am NOTHING like Holden ...and if you are remotely like him you have my condolensces.So do yourself a favour and don't read this book.

Rating:
Summary: It was pretty interesting.
Review: If you are a lover of good classic literrature, then you'll love, "Catcher in the Rye"!

Rating:
Summary: Catcher in the Rye review
Review: If you are a person who appreciates honesty, I believe Catcher in the Rye will appeal to you. This book is one of the most honest and true books I have ever read. Holden, the main character in the book, gives his thoughts about people and everyday life. Just reading about the reality of these thoughts kept me wanting to read more the whole time. You get caught up in his opinions and views and forget that he is only a sixteen-year old boy. It was refreshing to read something and to feel like it wasn't sugar coated or only part of the truth.
The book as a whole did not show an overwhelming amount of love or compassion, but there is one certain area when it did. Holden admits to not liking many people. However, the person to whom he cares most about, in my opinion, is his younger sister, Phoebe. When he shows his feelings for her, it makes the effect greater because he does not do this for anyone else. It provides an escape from all of the negativity and therefore makes you appreciate it even more so. He treats Phoebe with great love and respect, in spite of the fact that she is only a child. This warms you and lets you even more into the heart of Holden.
If you look deeper into the novel, you will notice that it is about loneliness as well as the need of others. Holden's loneliness strikes out at you as throughout the book he continues on his search for a girl. He mentions at several times that he does not like being with a girl names Sally, yet he creates this extravagant idea of them sneaking off and getting married together. This shows how lonely he actually is. I believe it is easy to relate to him because he shows how he is scared of change, and in some ways, relationships. I liked that aspect of the book.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading more about thought and feelings over a significant plot. I enjoyed reading it and believe many others will as well. I appreciated the truth in it and how easily it was to apply to your own life at times. Catcher in the Rye is definitely worth your time.

Rating:
Summary: This is simply a great book.
Review: If you are a teenager or have been a teenager it is so easy to relate to Holden's views and experiences. Of the few books I enjoyed being forced to read, this is my favorite. Oh, and on one of the reviews it said he's at a psychiatrist's office...when did that happen?

Rating:
Summary: Adults, Please Leave This Book Alone!
Review: If you are a teenager, read it. I mean it. Read "The Catcher in The Rye" now before you are too old to "read" it.
As a high school student, not only did I enjoy reading this book, but I literally found my identical twin in this book; Holden Caulfield. Every single words he spitted hit my hearts as I was experiencing deja vu.

I have long had so many questions that can not be, do not deserved to be, answered. Yet I do not like that answer, neither did Holden. Where do I go from here?
Holden's short 3-day adventure partially pointed me out a way out and perhaps did throw out more questions on my face.

This book is much more than Peter Pan Syndrome, antisocial behavior, and a "cynical adolescent".
And Life is much more than schools, adults, and a sex.

In a sea of neon, clocks are racing toward the mid-night, when will our souls be solaced?

Rating:
Summary: Once you start reading this book, you won't be able to stop.
Review: If you are looking for a good read, you should pick up the Catcher in the Rye. J. D. Salinger is at his best with this magnificently told novel. If you have ever felt down or depressed then you will love this book.

Rating:
Summary: This is it!!!
Review: If you are searching for a great book, the search is over. Catcher in the Rye is the best book, period. I do not say these words lightly. It is not just the perfect reflection of teenage turmoil and right of passage, it stretches wider to form the closest an author has ever come to describing the movement of the American self. Written in the 1950s, it still hold massive relevance in the 21st century, the character of Holden Caufield transcends generations and fashions to become the voice for any lost sole. It is more than 5 stars good- there is no description of what this book will do for your life.

Rating:
Summary: Only for those who believe that "SOCIETY SUCKS!"
Review: If you bring up the name Holden Caulfield in any conversation, you might get a few blanks, but in a lot of cases, it's either "That book saved my life" or "I'm preparing the oven for 451 degrees, it's so bad." I rank under the former.

I borrowed the all too common paperback copy from the local library (actually the main branch in downtown Fort Wayne, IN, excellent system there), wondering what all the controversy that still stands was about. I was instantly hooked on it. I just never finished it. I have a common tendency to leave books right at the beginning or at the very middle. There is no real plot, so you could just start where you left off without really caring.

The book has gained so much controversy, to my knowledge, there had only been one audiobook of it, meant for the visually-impaired. That's sad, considering I can handle audiobooks better.

It's about a rebellious, but respectful in some aspects, teenager who flunked out of prep school, on his trek back to his home in New York. He ends up in predicaments such as getting really drunk and becoming customer to a hooker.

Addressing these sort of things were very uncalled for back when this was released, and now we've got Jerry Springer to skip over.
Unfortunately, Mr. Salinger wrote only 2 other books and became reclusive. Once you've become a real fan, you might want to check out Salinger's daughter's memoirs of her father. I haven't read it, but it provides some exclusive insight to Salinger's exiled life.

Rating:
Summary: Definitely worth reading
Review: If you ever have to give one book to a Martian to explain what teenage thoughts and experiences are like, choose this one.