Book: The Catcher in the Rye

Catcher in the Rye

by JD Salinger

Length: 224 pages

Format: Paperback
Price: Free! Borrowed it from a friend

How I heard about it: It's a classic, and it's the favorite book of our new LA teacher. Naturally I had to see what the fuss was about.

Basic Premise: Newly-expelled and therefore former college student Holden Caulfield searches for purpose among the troubles and tragedies of his current existence. (Sorry...that's really the best I can do.)

My Take: 2 out of 10 (scale here)

Last year, we got a new Language Arts teacher. In her interview, she stated that her favorite book was The Catcher in the Rye. As I've said before, I haven't read many of the classics. My reading of classic literature is limited to what I read in high school and college and the FOUR classical titles I have read since. I was unfamiliar with this one, but I love Lara, so I put it on my list. When I told her I was going to read it, her exact words were, "You're going to hate it." When I asked my dad for a copy to borrow, he said, "Why? You're going to hate it."

Alas, they were right. As I mentioned in my review of The Great Gatsby (which, as a matter of interest, Salinger references in the book), I feel quite conflicted in saying I don't like a classic. But the fact is, I didn't, and frankly, I'm not sure why this is such a classic. There was hardly any movement in the plot. I was in the middle of the book and still wondering, "What is the conflict, here? What is this building toward?" I would love to see a plot map of this book that someone else filled in, because goodness knows I couldn't do it. It felt like what I imagine the inside of a scatter-brained potty-mouthed spoiled brat's brain looks like. Though Holden had his moments of depth and character, by and large he was, to borrow his own phrase, an "ass." Moving through the story felt like hiking through deep snow - lots of discomfort, frequent delays, and very little progress.

Definitely NOT a fan. I can appreciate the time period, the style, and obvious frankness Salinger displayed at a time when such things were not nearly as prevalent as they are now, but that's about all I can give to this book.

List progress:
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Parenting with Love & Logic by Jim Fey
Silver Star Jeannette Walls
Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp
Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum
Mocking Jay by Suzanne Collins