Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: This book is a candid look at one character's perspective on social life. Holden Caulfield is an engaging character you will grow to love. I initially wanted to read this book to see what all the hype was about and while some might find that it drags in places, it is truly a must-read. There is a sense of irony in Holden's opinion of "phonies" in his circle of friends. He himself tends to tell people what they want to hear, but you quickly realize that as he sees it, he has a good reason for being a "phony" himself. There is a subtle, yet justifiable, reason for his actions that you won't notice until the end of the book. Holden is such a simple character, though, that you can't help but like him.
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Summary: A TRUE UNDERSTANDING OF ADOLESCENCE
Review: Holden Caulfield, a name associated with American literature is studied around the world, and for very good reasons. It tells the tale of one teenager, who is leaves his school, and before returning home, takes a detour and experiences life. Holden represents the problems and troubles faced by adolescents, although he is an extreme example. Holden sees everyone as phony, pretending and acting away their entire lives except for his little sister and young children. Holden seems to have a sense of urgency to save them from their loss of innocence and in their journey into what he called phoniness, hence the title "Cather in the Rye" , as though he must catch them in case they fall of a cliff, and into the world of being phony. In truth, however, Holden himself is phony yet does not realise it. The book is written from the central character's view and the writing style is perfectly fitting to the register of a teenager. One asks oneself throughout the novel is Holden is actually insane, and does he realise it-which means he is not insane as he recognises it. A book with a genuine understanding of growing up, and what is like to develop into adulthood. A must read!
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Summary: catcher in the rye
Review: I believe this is perhaps one of the top two books I have ever read. Maybe this a biased opinion, seeing as how I am rapidly approaching the age of Holden Caulfield (very rapidly, I'm told), and that I too went to a private school in which I felt I was sorrounded by phonies. However, this is the very nature of the book: I believe you can't help but relate to the main character; JD Salinger designed the character of Holden Caulfield so flawlesly that the single fact that Holden was of Salinger's own invention is reason enough for me to regard it as one of the greatest works of litearature ever written, and anyone who would disagree was never an adolescent.
Rating:
Summary: Great read!
Review: I read this book some years ago in HS. I feel that this book gets alot more hype then it deserves, But the main Charecter is one who is easily related to by a good many of people. Its difinatly an american classic and is well worth the read for pleasure as well as edjucational porposes.
Rating:
Summary: Maybe I missed out
Review: I highly respect what this novel did for American lit but it did little for me personally. I can see the bravo in the narrative and tale itself, an episodic aventure as well as an epic. Great, central reading for anyone literature.
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Summary: The best story ever told.
Review: The Catcher in the Rye is the best book I have ever read in my short 17 years. I don't doubt that I'll read more amazing or truthful books, but this one really hit home with me. Holden Caulfield thinks and talks like any cynical, insecure, complex teenager, even now in the year 2000. This book made me laugh so hard I cried, and made me relate so much that I could've cried. JD Salinger has created, to me, one of the most potent and memorable characters in literature. Holden represents discovery, change, and acceptance in a world full of phonies and cynics. This book is so good. Don't even buy the paperback, just go straight for the hardcover so it'll last longer.
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Summary: Why is this book considered a classic?
Review: Okay, okay, so Salinger made a great depiction of a little loser, but is that enough to consider a book a classic? I can think of a few authors that have done more or less the same thing and have gone unnoticed. Yes, I found the writing to be quite brilliant, it does a great job introducing the reader into the world of Holden Caulfield, but no amount of brilliancy can make me feel even a bit simpathetic towards Holden, he's one of those people that I would instantly detest if I happened to meet him in the real world, he's so whiny and stupid, he can't stop complaining about everything that doesn't sit well with him, but instead of showing some backbone and trying either to do something to change at least a bit the stuff he doesn't like, or to adapt himself to the situation, he sulks and cusses, and dreams of running away and hiding in the wilderness, where he won't have to cope with the cold cruel world. I can appreciate his idealistic cynicism, but that's about the extent of my charity. I don't share other reviewer's feelings that the plot is uninteresting and/or inexistent; I'll admit is not a wild ride, but it is engaging, and it is quite interesting to witness Caulfield's teen angst (I hate that expression, I never was like that at that age or at any age, and I'm nineteen, so don't think I have forgotten). I'll concede that, all in all, J.D. Salinger managed to pull off a good story, and that is no small accomplishment in this case; I would give another of his books a try.
Rating:
Summary: Still the model....
Review: Holden Caufield, the main character in this short, easily-read novel, remains the model for disaffected youth in modern literature.When reading this, who among us hasn't felt like Holden? Not knowing where we are, where we should be, where we belong, what we should be doing, just simply existing.
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Summary: A World of Phonies?
Review: Holden Caulfield, a high school failure from Pencley prep explores the New York 'underground' for three days before facing the wrath of his parents. While residing at Pencley Prep School, Holden realizes what a phonie world he is living in. He discovers that every single person at Pencley is an undercover phonie. He finds faults in everyone-even the people who seem perfect. And to make things worse, Holden is given the ax right before a vacation for failing every subject except English. Disappointed in Pencley and angry at his classmates, Holden decides to 'leave early' for a three day stay in downtown New York. Unfortunately, Holden does not get a break of phoniness in downtown NY. He tires of the phonie taxi drivers. He tires of all the phonie people that have phonie conversations at the movies. Throughout his stay in NY underground, Holden finds peace only when talking to his dead brother, Allie and his sister, Phoebe. And when Holden returns home secretly the first time, the all important question comes from Phoebe, demanding to know what was important to Holden and what he wanted to be, Holden really begins to wonder. I really enjoyed The Catcher in the Rye, (though I wonder at the total number of cuss words used...)Although it offers a lot of criticism about people in the world we are living in today, there are many intriguing ideas that make this book one of the best books I've ever read. Salinger is indeed a great writer and it makes me wonder how he could have written a book that later became one of the most banned book in the country.....and yet a classic.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't believe the hype
Review: I read Catcher in the Rye when i was in my early 20s and found it disappointing given the fact that English teachers and others had called it a "Classic." Perhaps we should all guard the term "Classic" more carefully. Yes, Salinger explores teen angst. Yes, Holden Caulfield has some universal connection because of the angst. Yes, he addresses phoniness in the world. But those things alone don't make a classic. One reviewer at this site mentioned the fact that there really is no plot, and she is right. If most of us knew Holden Caulfield and were subject to his ranting we would certainly dismiss him and not consider him a classic. I normally finish every book i read, but i got exaclty into the middle of he book and put it awaay for good. If Catcher in the Rye is a classic, then we've lost the ability to distinguish something that is truly classic, like say To Kill A Mockingbird", from a mediocre novel.
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