Catcher in the Rye

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Summary: Do YOU really understand this book?
Review: Having just read this book within the last month or so, I am still asking myself if I really understand the content of it. I do realize, however, that I can relate to the 16-year-old Holden Caulfield. Being only a year younger than H.C. we have many similarities. The most imortant one that continues to remind myself of Holden's emotional problems, is that I also lost a sister to cancer. Although, the one major difference between us, is that I was treated for my depression soon before Holden's was. Of course technology of such situations have improved, therefore, allowing myself to not make many of the mistakes H.C. made. Including those relating to school, friendships, family,etc. Many do not understand the emotional effect a death can have on a person, which can very often turn to depression and nervous collapses. Until one can, shall I ask, WILL you really understand The Catcher in the Rye?

Rating:
Summary: Disturbingly accurate
Review: Having long since left behind the self-obsessed years of my youth, I was horrified to recognise the depressing narrow-mindedness of my teenagedom. I cringe to recall my own narcissistic concerns at that age. Thank goodness that maturity brings a certain degree of peace with one's lot. A beautiful novel, out-dated, but still quirky and trendily 'retro'. Throughout, Holden reminded me of the dysfunctional Perry in Capote's In Cold Blood, and I was always expecting him to sink to Perry's grisly level of rebellion against an apparently alien and unaccepting world. Read it- you might as well.

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Summary: ESCAPE HERE!
Review: Having read the other attempts at reviewing this book, I have come to the conclusion that if a book is thought to have no plot then it is not worth reading. Unfortunately, I read books for pleasure, to fill those small amounts of space inbetween busy schedules and to escape from the harsh reality of the present day and plot or no plot, I enjoy the damn things! If you, like I did when I first read Catcher, are in the mood for an escape into the mind of Holden Caulfield, and adolecent hero who you'll never forget or fancy a trip around New York just for the shear hell of it, then buy this book. In my opinion, this book bleeds nothing but the pure genius of Salinger and defines the escapist's handbook. Go for it, this book is fantastic.

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Summary: Finally got around to this one.
Review: Having relied on Cliffs Notes in high school I finally decided to give this one a go. Holden's story is of course "dated" at this point but chances are I'll probably think of him on those days when I feel like I'm about to go over the edge myself.

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Summary: Tragi-comic
Review: Hello everyone!

I missed out on reading "The Catcher in the Rye" when I was 15 which I understand is when most people tend to read it so at first I thought that the content would be primarily directed at a younger audience. However, my initial prejudices against the novel were completely unfounded as I found both the subject matter and the language employed by Salinger extremely effective and thought-provoking. I wasn't expecting the novel to dazzle me with new ideas about human psychology, and yet I have to admit once again that I was astounded by how affected I was by the protagonist's situation and his experiences. Of course, being written in the first person there is that intimacy which I feel never reaches the same level of intensity in novels written in the third person. I found myself immersed in the character, wanting to talk to him face to face as he himself says of authors he has read himself. Fascinating. I don't know what other people think but I felt the same sort of clarity in this novel as I have found in works by John Steinbeck. Perhaps it is a trait perfected by American authors of the twentieth century, I have too many novels yet to explore to say for certain, but it does strike me that the manner in which the author uses the dialect and slang to effectively bring his character to life is something which is rarely come across. A wonderful novel.

Please write to me to tell me your views even if you disagree!

Becky.

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Summary: What About Holden Boy ?
Review: Hello i would like to tell you that the catcher in the rye is a terrific book about a teenager .After leaving the school alot of adventures happens to him and he tryes to have Fun. ZANK U BYE BYE C U LATER (ALIGATOR) C U ZISS AFTERNOON (ON ZE MOON)

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Summary: Everyone needs a friend....
Review: HELLO!! Everyone! I have just got done this book and I enjoyed it cover to cover. If you enjoyed this book you noticed yourself in Holden, and you could to relate to at least one thing he was saying, or thinking. Don't get offended! I'm not saying you are a physco, but who is to say anyone is a "pyhsco". Holden is pretty pathetic in a way because he has no one there for him to cry on someone's shoulder. Everyone needs a friend and love. The only FRIEND and LOVE is through Jesus Christ. There is no greater love than to lay your life down for your friend, and that is exactly what Jesus did for us. Holden looked everywhere for the perfect love, but no one was there. You may think I'm some fanatic but I bet you deep in your heart you know Jesus is real and that just like Holden, we ALL need to fill that void in our heart with GOD's love. That was the only downpoint of this novel, Holden never found love, and I wish Holden could have asked Jesus to come into his heart, so that Holden could have love, joy, happiness, in his heart, and the answere to life itself. Thanks for reading my opinon...I mean fact.

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Summary: Disappointment then and now
Review: Here is a book I read about 10 years ago in high school because of a class. I enjoyed every book I got my hand on in school... except this one. Our teacher attempted to get us excited about reading this book by telling us "they" were trying to ban it. It was one of the hardest books to choke down! It felt like a sad attempt at being an annoying teenager.

I tried to read this book again a couple of months ago. This critically acclaimed book could not be that bad. No, sorry still whiny and pointless. It's full of characters I don't care to know or even get to if I did. I understand if drivel was a reason to be banned then I could see why this would be a challenged book.

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Summary: A True Classic
Review: Here's a question: if this book was written fifty years ago, how come every year since then a new generaton of readers has come along and read this novel and felt it was written about them? That's the timeless, universal quality of this amazing book. It captures whatever alienation and disgust with society in general are really about, ad distills them into one character that just about everyone I've ever met thinks describes them, at some point in their lives. Once you are done with this book, you will want to read something else that evokes the same emotions, that is written as well, as convincingly. You will search the bookstore shelves. The only thing that will come close is Brauner's Love Songs of the Tone-Deaf, but that's more recent a novel. The Catcher in the Rye is a classic that has not only withstood the test of time, but will still be standing long after most of the books you see around now are long gone.

Rating:
Summary: I never got it
Review: Here's the problem with some classics. In order for everyone else to assume them as classics the thoughtform is that the reader wants to be or is a young White male. I am not any of those so to me Holden spent a lot of time whining. The fact that it also shows up as the book on most nutcases bookcases says a lot about this book.
Do I think it speaks to some who need attention and feel left out of the world? Sure. but so does barney if you pay close attention. My stars are for a good first person narrative and its durability over 50 years...
Though I do hate writer psychoanalyzation because the very point of fiction is that it is suppose to be made up and not projection. Therefore I consider this good fiction, but not outstanding literature and I will leave the biographical, however salacious, notes on Salingers private peccadilloes for girls that resembled boys and their resemblance to Holden Caulfield up to higher, greater minds than my own.