the Catcher in the Rye

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
There is so much I respect about this novel that I don't even know where to begin. 50 years later this novel still remains true, beautiful, heart breaking, and yes, even scandalous. Holden Caulfield is not simply a representation of 'teen angst' (as many younger readers seem to think), but he is a realistic, troubled, and clever character who doesn't just hate the world and society in which he resides, he truly doesn't care about many things. He's brilliant, sarcastic, often times innocent, and other times jaded -- but what he never is is fake. He is articulate and candid, but not precocious or annoying. My favorite parts of the book are his scenes with Phoebe -- the one person in the world (other than his deceased brother) who he truly respects. He absorbs all experiences, good and bad, adding them to his own knowledge base. He is so confused about what he should do, he simply regresses socially, hoping to escape the tough choices of adulthood by keeping others from them. One of my all time favorite novels.


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