Catcher in the Rye

Rating:
Summary: make your own decision
Review: read it yourself, i had to read it but i'm glad i did. i'm currently reading the rest of his books for my own pleasure.

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Summary: I read this once a year
Review: Read this again and again: It keeps you sane in an insane world. -D

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Summary: If you are, ever was, or ever will be a teenager...
Review: READ this book!!! I'm a 15 year old young woman and I love this book. I didn't even realize that it was an American classic, banned from the US, or any of that, I just enjoyed the 1st few sentences. Soon I was laughing and enjoying myself for the first time in months. I love characters that I can relate to. It also is very straight foward and hard to put down. I carry it around with me, just in case people ask me about school or anything. I was going through the same exact feelings that Holden is in this book when I read it, and its just a wonderful, crudely humorous novel from the mind of a confused young man. It made me feel so much better to know that someone out there had the same thoughts and feelings as me. (Even though it's a 16 yr. old guy in 1951!)... but even if you're not going through any of the same thing(s) as Holden, just read it, because I'm sure everyone will relate to something in this amazing narrative. Just trust me and go read this if you haven't!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Despite Abrubt Ending
Review: Reading "Catcher In The Rye" reminded me of waiting for a bus for about three hours, getting up to get the newspaper and then missing it. It wasn't that it was tedious, because I was hooked from nearly the beginning to the end, and it wasn't that it was poorly written, because J.D. Salinger wrote from the perspective of a confused and angry seventeen-year old so perfectly, I just about believed that Mr. Salinger was Holden Caufield. But after finishing the book, I was left with an unusual feeling that I couldn't quite put my finger on, until a day or two after reading the book. That feeling would have to be disappointment; the ending came a little too abruptly. I wish it would have continued into Holden's adult life. I would have liked to see what sort of places he would travel to, what adventures he would face and what people he would encounter. In conclusion, I thought "Catcher in the Rye" was an interesting and well thought out tale of innocence lost, and was clearly ahead of its time in philosophy and structure.

Rating:
Summary: Please read this...
Review: Reading "The Catcher in the Rye" was a wonderful experience. It's not that I find myself in his situation at the moment, but I once was in his shoes. Well, sort of. I was once as cynical as he is; intolerable. I hated people and judged them. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to live and suffer Holden's life. I recommend it to the person who being open minded is ready to enter a world full of conflict. This book really deserves all the praise, it is a must read for any person, not just teenagers. As I said before, in one way or another you can easily feel in his shoes. And if not, still you'll have a good time following Holden's chaotic life.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Despite Abrupt Ending
Review: Reading "Catcher In The Rye" reminded me of waiting for a bus for about three hours, getting up to get the newspaper and then missing it. It wasn't that it was tedious, because I was hooked from nearly the beginning to the end, and it wasn't that it was poorly written, because J.D. Salinger wrote from the perspective of a confused and angry seventeen-year old so perfectly, I just about believed that Mr. Salinger was Holden Caufield. But after finishing the book, I was left with an unusual feeling that I couldn't quite put my finger on, until a day or two after reading the book. That feeling would have to be disappointment; the ending came a little too abruptly. I wish it would have continued into Holden's adult life. I would have liked to see what sort of places he would travel to, what adventures he would face and what people he would encounter. In conclusion, I thought "Catcher in the Rye" was an interesting and well thought out tale of innocence lost, and was clearly ahead of its time in philosophy and structure.

Rating:
Summary: amazing book to anyone with half a brain
Review: Reading the bad reviews for this book, it became apparent why these people don't like this book; namely, they're idiots. The one star reviews are full of idiotic mistakes and misinterpretations that make me want to yell at my computer screen (seriously, go check them out; one guy keeps talking about his hike through the Arizona "dessert" [I picture a huge banana split myself]). Frankly, if you can't relate to Holden Caulfield, then you're probably shallow and naïve. Everyone feels like this sometimes or else they aren't paying attention to the world around them. And of course Holden is hypocritical! He's an anti-hero, folks. This is not Salinger's guide to life; it's a novel for pete's sake! I really don't understand how someone can read this and not feel sympathetic towards Caulfield. Sure he's privileged, maybe even spoiled, but he doesn't understand life. Who does? Certainly not people who say they "feel sorry for the trees killed to print this" or that Stephen King's works are better (someone actually said this). Anyway, thought I needed to vent about the bad reviews here, but most are good and I agree with them. Read this book!! [By the way, the person who blamed CITR for the murders of John Lennon et al is seriously insane...how can you blame a BOOK for inciting violence in maniacs? Does this person really believe that these psychopaths were perfectly normal human beings before Catcher corrupted them? Please!]

Rating:
Summary: The Catcher In The Rye
Review: Reading The Catcher In Rye is like looking into the soul of each and every one of our lives at one point in time. J.D. Salinger was able to capture the poignancy of a teen's life in its purest form. The main character, Holden Caulfield, was facing expulsion of yet another boarding school, which he attended in Pennsylvania. With a bad attitude that plagues most sixteen year olds, Holden must try to come to terms with the loss of his younger brothers death. Not knowing what to do next, Holden's journey leads him to New York City where he would be as inconspicuous as a leaf falling in the autumn night.
Just as Holden had done, each and every one of us wants to grow up all too quickly. However, we tend to miss out on what growing up is all about. Innocence. The author depicts this when Holden is trying to persuade a local bar keep to serve him alcoholic beverages. Although the book was written over fifty years ago, many teens can still relate to Holden's trials and tribulations. J.D. Salinger used a style of writing that is easy to comprehend.
The Catcher In The Rye is a highly recommended book, which will question ones adolescent life through the eyes of another. Despite the fact that the author gives an overall feeling of cynicism toward the world, one must not delve into the mind of Holden. If one inadvertently does so, then the world becomes a dim one.

Rating:
Summary: Misunderstood
Review: Reading the many reviews on this site I couldn't help feeling like Holden: The people who dislike the book seem to fit perfectly into the category of "phonie", and those who like it seem to have generally missed the point. You are not supposed to enjoy reading the catcher in the rye - it is a depressing book. It deals with those truths about life that in adulthood we are forced to sideline as we to are drawn into the comercialized, dishonest "real" world. Why else did Salinger become a recluse?! Of course the most important part of the book is when Holdens teacher tells him that he is not alone and that others have been through the same as him (shame I haven't met them yet); this demonstrates perfectly the part of the book I find is most misunderstood. It is not a "coming of age" story at all, the teacher is saying hold on to your beliefs - "you are right". All these other people who "wrote down" there Holden like experiences could not have been children now could they. Salinger is saying he is on of them too and he is not a teenager. If anyone else agrees with me - mail me.

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Summary: Catcher in the rye SUCKS
Review: Reading this book was a dull thing to do. I didn't like it because the style Salinger used began to work on my nerves after a while. The language Holden uses is recognizabel from TV and rap music because he swears a lot. In the beginning this was quite amuzing but it irritated me in the end.Holden never knows what he has to do, he constantly hesitates when he has to make a decision.The only thing what matters for him is what other people think about him. The things Holden does aren't very realistic, which 16-year-old boy would hire a prostitute in stead of visiting his mum who lives a few blocks further? I think Holden is a sick person whose personality is only interesting for psychiatrists. The only good thing about him is the fact that he always wants to protect others. But if he is really so loving and caring, why does he lie so much? The intire book is one big lie, none of it is thrue and therefor reading this book is a useless thing to do.