The Catcher in the Rye

Rating:
Summary: This is the best I've ever read-haven't even finished it!
Review: If you like cynicism, you'll like this book. If you like humor, you'll like this book. If you like reading, you'll like this book!

Rating:
Summary: Very accurate potrayal of teenager
Review: I read this book twice, once in sixth grade, the other when I was a sophomore. At first I thought it was good solely because there was a prostitute in it, but now I see how it tells the tale of a cynical teenager. I can really relate to Holden Caulfield, me being a cyincal teenager myself. But this is book is for people who are made angry by everyone that isn't cynical.

Rating:
Summary: A complete mix of teenage emotions and doubts
Review: This is an incredible book, in the first place. Salinger seems to have a great deal of pain, and contradiction troughout the book. From the beggining he states that he doesn't like to talk about his "lousy childhood" and this contradiction is present in almost every line. He gives the impression that he is writing because he has to, because something bigger than himself imposed it. He writes in a slang, with a lousy vocabulary, which is - as a matter of fact - what really happens in a teenager's life. Sometimes you can feel the extreme anger when he writes, yet he cannot stand against the intolerable pression of his own mind, and he simply... writes. This is an american modern classic, and should be read twice: firstly when we are teenagers, secondly when we reach maturity. Anyway, this is an astonishing book, and whoever reads it will be amused, I guarantee.

Rating:
Summary: If you think this book's about sex and drinking you're wrong
Review: I read this a few times: in 7th grade, in 9th grade. I don't understand reviewers who say they cannot relate to Holden 'cause he is a nutcase who is into whores and alcohol. I didn't drink or have sex before college and didn't want to, and I'm not crazy, but there is something in here I think most everyone can relate to: the ideas of not fitting in, of people being "phonies", of wanting to feel safe... Don't get offended by sex and drink; appreciate the ideas here, people.

Rating:
Summary: The Most Offensive Account of Teenage Life Written
Review: Despite what people might tell you, this book does not speak to teenagers and does not represent the mind of a teenager. It represents every whiny, mindless, arrogant, inarticulate stereotype that exists about teenagers. I cannot say enough negative things about this book. I love to read. I love the great American classics like "To Kill a Mockingbird" , "The Sound and the Fury", "Of Mice and Men" and many others. This book disgusted me and made me question the credibility of any source that would rank it as one of the best books of the century. I won't even use it to prop up my bed for fear of having it creep into my brain through osmosis. Please, do yourself a favor and never read this book. It is for your own good.

Rating:
Summary: Something of everybody in this book
Review: I am an italian 18 year-old boy, who has just finished to read the book. I heard of some people who think that in Holden there is nothing of the teenagers of today; i don't agree!! I know that the most of "us" would never want to spent a night with a prostitute, or to get drunk as Holden does, and i agree it is a disgusting style of life, but at the same time i am pretty sure that almost everyone on the earth, teenagers and not, sometimes feels to be depressed, alone, scared by what is around us, weak....

I liked this book because teaches how to solve certain problems and how to respect those people like Holden who seem bad people, but actually are really, really generous.

Rating:
Summary: Two perspectives of the novel
Review: I read this book twice. When I was 19 I read the book, and in all honesty I didn't like it. When I turned thirty, I read it again. Now I understand why I didn't like it. I was a spoiled kid who was too self-involved to understand Holden Caulfield. Yes Holden is self involved and self-important. He develops into exactly what he hates by the end of the novel. The truth of the matter is that I was too ignorant to understand the novel.

To the point - this is a great novel. I hope every teenager who reads this in school has a teacher who properly explains the character. Without a true understanding of Holden, one cannot apply the book to one's life. And let's face it, if you can't apply the book to the real world, why read the book?

Rating:
Summary: what I think about..
Review: I read this book in the reading class of summer school. I'd like to mention that I'm a ESL student and my gramer isn't that good. First of all, although I had some part which I couldn't understand, I simply liked this book. I think I've been having similar feeling like Holden has. For instanse, I really like very young kids or old people. I couldn't get along with the kids around my age. I always had the feeling people don't need me, and seeking people who simply like me and don't hurt me. As I reading the book, "the catcher in the rye", I remembered what happened to me last winter at my school. Just hate people and don't know what is going on around. Even though liked the people, or wanted to like people, but I couldn't do that. I think that "winter" makes people depress a lot, and I believe that Holden has the same feeling, or much bigger than mine. Holden, I think, wants to escape from everythin which bothers him and make him rereaved, but both tring to deal with the plobrems and escape form the plobrems aren't easy. That's why everything is hard to him and makes Holden so sad. I think that most people around my age have this strange feeling;have to be grown up, but afraide to being gruwn up and want to be child forever. Again, I think that I'm not compretery understanding this book, and I think when I get older I would understnd this book more and different way. That's why I didn't give parfect score for this book. When I could undersatnd what the book was telling to people, then, I would give the parfect score for this book. Lastly, I really enjoyed reading this book.

Rating:
Summary: I caught catcher fever
Review: I've read two books in my 22 years. One "Where the red fern grows" sometime in the 5th grade and (after weeks of hearing my mother lament on how I had never read the book and how the boy was just like me) "catcher in the rye" on the heels on my graduation. I figure most people either hate or love it. All I know is I spent this long is school and the whole time not once did I feel enlightened...until I read catcher in the rye.

Rating:
Summary: This was a funny book
Review: I would recommend people to read this. I thought it was funny because today the kid would be packed full of Prozac and Ridillan, but at the time setting he is in, he is merely passed from school to school. Kids will like, because he swears a lot. That much is cool to me, mainly because I am fourteen. I'd reccomend this book and THE LORD OF THE FLIES especially for boys, but for everyone as well.