Catcher in the Rye

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Summary: This is a great "goddam" book.
Review: Salinger is brilliant in his seemingly flawless portrayel of the "outsider", or the one who rebels against the faceless mask of conformity (McCarthyism).The air of self loathing and loneliness emulated by Holden makes this novel not only well written but brilliant in tis sentimentality. The entire piece of literature is about rebeling against conformity, with the biggest proprieter of this philosophy being our main character Holden. This is the classic novel that identifies the outsider and will forever be worthy of reverence.

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Summary: Every time needs its own crazed hermit author...
Review: Salinger is ours. But unlike some crazed hermits, Salinger (at least in this book) is actually good. Holden's not that unlike the rest of us... but at the same time he's different enough to show us something. On the surface, he appears to be a cynical kid who's just angry at the world. Inside, though, he's actually much closer to innocence than most of us. (Believe it or not, I once wrote a whole web site... not a very good one, of course... after being inspired by this.) Sure, there's no plot. But it's the best book with no plot you'll ever read.

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Summary: A male point of view...
Review: Salinger presents the hardships of growing up through a male point of view in Holden, and it was very easy to identify with his overall disgust of the world and some of its more "phony" members. However, the narration is not necessarily geared toward males or teenagers. There are universal themes to be found here, hence making this novel the classic that it is.

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Summary: Gets in Your Mind
Review: Salinger records teenager Holden Caulfield's thoughts and actions in a first person tone in this book. Salinger deftly employed colloquialism and literary eloquence in expressing Caulfield's inner psychological battles as that of a typical teenager. The book reflects the main character's coming of age struggles in the reflection of the American society. For anyone who has lived through adolescence, this book will conjure up great memories, though not necessary nostaligia. At times, the stubborness of Caulfield vexes the reader. That's precisely when the book achieves its merits. Worth reading, fast page turner too.

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Summary: A masterpiece
Review: Salinger takes the reader on a fantastic journey, in which one can see the world through the eyes of young Holden Caulfield. It may make you feel sorry for him sometimes; it can also make you angry at him. One thing you won't be, though, is indifferent. This book is about a sixteen-year-old, but it's not to be read by sixteen-year-olds, simply because they won't get it (look at all those reviews from people who wanted to know the point of the book). They ARE Caulfield, and it won't be until some years from now that they will be able to recognize that fact and come to terms with it. Salinger is brilliant, and "Catcher" is a masterpiece.

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Summary: amusing and quick, if confusing
Review: Salinger writes a wonderful tale of a disturbed but dashing teenager trying to escape from the depressing fake reality of his world. The main character Holden Caulfield has much of the typical teenager in him and is still current decades after his creation, but is infinitely more interesting than the "average" teenager because he thinks more, and really cares about his life. Much of his passion is misspent and leads to trouble at school and with friends, but it is easy to sympathize with Holden's desperate confusion, intense affection for an innocent sibling, and even his revulsion towards the phoniness of society. A few things, like his temporary whims and his attraction towards the mysterious Jane, make the book a bit puzzling at times, but overall it's intriguing and definitely humorous reading.

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Summary: the most frightening and beautiful text ever
Review: Salinger's 'Catcher in the Rye' is an amazingly frightening and beautiful text. It's more than a story of a troubled and psychologically disturbed teenager, it's a beautiful emmotional-construction that captures the universal feeling of the individual in the face of the tragic. Consider the brilliant passages as Holden recalls his immeasurable fear while crossing the street as he feels himself slipping into a mental abyss, or the beautiful rage of his youth when he breaks his hands beating his fists against the windows of his garage when his brother dies of leukemia. Catcher in the rye is about the fantastic horror and beauty of humanity in the face of the tragedies and uncertanties of life and a holy rage against the coldness and indifference of the ugly individual. This is not a book that can be understood by the brain.

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Summary: A Reviewer for Hypocrisy and Pretense ...
Review: Salinger's a monk, kid. He's rotting away in a sterile, bitter cocoon, poking at a Joyce Maynard rag doll with his Howard Hughes fingernails. Pretense and hypocrisy are what make life worth living. Without pretense we have anomie. Look that one up if you have to. Without hypocrisy we have .. what? Complete hatred for each other? Still, the book's great. But the voice behind it's sounding more and more like self-parody as times progress and better authors appear. Is that what Salinger intended in the first place?

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Summary: An exceptional book that strikes the empathatic heart of all
Review: Salinger's Catcher in the Rye is without a doubt one of the finest modern classics of the 20th century. Anyone, and I mean anyone, male or female, or whatever ethnic background, can empathize (though not necessarily sympathize) with Holden's struggles of late adolescence: identity, the shapeless future, sexuality, all set against a backdrop of the spinning confusion that is the teenage experience. The only qualm I have about this book, albeit a small one, is that some of the language and time-specific instances that Salinger uses (plays, movies, locations) date an otherwise timeless piece. Some of the dialogue (esp. the ones with his sister) are pure brilliance. It is a real shame that this book is still banned by many high schools across the United States, for its alleged "bad influences". Yet, if this book was taught to more angry, outcast teens, it would do much more to heal... than to harm. Just my two cents...

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Summary: "a man for all seasons"
Review: Salinger's CATCHER, frequently glorified by the passing teenage generation, is rightly done so. Our hero, the frank and blatantly blunt Holden Caufield, see the raucous, charging world through the honest and moody eyes of any pubescent male, from any time. His biting insights are short, to the point, and unlike most of the society surrounding him, he's not "phony". After sharing a small breakfast with some ladies of the church, he comments: "That's what I liked about the nuns. You could always tell, for example, that they never went anywhere swanky for lunch." If you're tired with the "worn-out trumpery", and the the trappings of the materialistic world, read this book