Rating: 
Summary: good book but lacked...
Review: Don't get me Wrong, I loved this book, it's probabley one of the few I'd read a second time. I spent have to half the book waiting to see what come of the girl he mentioned likeing so much, just to be disapointed in the end with no real resolution to the novel. some call this book a classic, or the best book they've ever read. I wouldn't go that far only because of the above points that left me staring at the book with antisaption that some more words or pages explaining the things I wanted to find out would suddenly show up or something. If your interested in reading it, it's no doubt a great book, but if you looking for substance in plot, story, and true feeling, I recomend reading Richard Wright's "The Outsider" or "Native Son" two of truely the best pieces of American Liturture I've ever read. This would follow a Close third or fourth only being bumped by something like Ray Bradbarry, Anthony Burgess.
Rating: 
Summary: best book i have EVER read
Review: I am a 16 year old male, so i can certainly identify with the main character's thoughts, feelings, and uncertainties towards life. If you are a teen reading this, here is a message: YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK. its got everything. Prostitutes, Profanity, Drinking, and much much more. This is the story about Holden, who has just been kicked out of his school, and spends a couple of nights and days in the great city of New York. He goes through alot of things, that seem very credible, but the book, the way he describes what he's going through and his bitterly sarcastic outlook on life keep you entertained the whole way through. You cant read a paragraph without reading at least 2 profanities, so if you cant handle it dont even bother. And i cant believe it was written at least 50 years ago. Most of the language and dialect he uses is just as modern as it is today. He can always find something about a character to make fun of or gripe about- and you'll find that within the first chapter. Give this book a read- its GREAT. if you are an older teen like me, it will become the most treasured book in your collection.
Rating: 
Summary: "If a body catch a body..."
Review: I have to admit that I liked this book. For some insane reason, I did partially identify with Holden. I'd like to stress the word partially, because in many ways, Holden is the literary incarnation of human characteristics that I dislike. He's unmotivated, self-absorbed, highly judgemental - not to mention an ingrate. At the same time though, I found truth in the novel. Most people ARE phony. Although that truth is rather sad, we do indeed put on facades to please the world in the way we want. Holden and his unique observations on human behavior are actually not that unique, but "Catcher in the Rye" is one of the few novels to actually dwell on this subject. It IS depressing that you can see what is wrong with the world or with people in general and know that you have no power to change things. Holden tries to make the "good" people stand out, such as his brother and sister. At the same time, he realizes that his eyes have been unmasked too much and that he can never achieve the precious innocence of childhood again. A lovely symbol of this was the record that he bought for Phoebe shattering into tiny pieces. Life will not stay the same if you are opening your eyes. This point about the novel is perhaps disheartening, but it is the essence of growing up. Growing up, adolescence, teenage years, formative years; call them what you may, but everyone struggles through them. Holden, well, he embodies the worst struggle a kid can go through, yet he survives! A nice conclusion, perhaps teaching us that there is indeed life beyond these troublesome years.
Rating:
Summary: Helps in understanding disillusioned, cynical teenagers.
Review: Holden repeatedly asks different people the simple question of what happens to the birds in the lake when winter comes; he asks whether they die or fly away, or someone moves them. People tell him what a stupid question it is and they change the subject, but no one answers it for him. I'm not sure exactly what to make of it, but this conveys a part of human nature and how teenagers feel at times. Similar is the situation when Holden meets a pimp who hooks him up with a prostitute for a set amount of money. Holden doesn't even have sex with her, but agrees to pay her the agreed sum if she'll just talk with him. Later, the pimp comes back and claims the agreement was for five dollars more than Holden paid. Holden says he would pay that amount if that's what he agreed upon but it wasn't so he refuses to pay five more dollars. The pimp breaks in and beats him up, taking the five dollars. This is an example of Holden stubbornly standing up for what he believes is right, which seems to be what IS right. I wasn't sure about the dispute myself so I went back into the book. Sure enough, Holden paid the pimp what he originially agreed to and the pimp was B.S.ing him. Symbolically, Holden stands up for the truth but it costs him and he loses in the end. It also shows some human nature. Why wouldn't the pimp just get right to the point and say either Holden will give him five dollars he doesn't deserve or he's going to beat him up then take the five bucks? That's how some people act when they are caught in the act-- they are in denial and lie even though it's obvious what they did. Like how convicted felons continue to deny their crime despite overwhelming evidence. The encounter with the nuns shows that Holden isn't such a bad guy after all. He talks about everyone else with bitter sarcasm and criticism, but he finds no phoniness in them and he genuinely enjoys having lunch with them. He gives a sincere monetary donation to them. After reading this passage, I felt I saw a totally different side of him; that when confronted with sincerely good people, Holden too is good. It is the corruption in his environment that makes him bad. Holden is disillusioned with the world and he plans to have some fun and get away for a few days before he faces his parents about failing out of school. The sad part is, he can't even manage to "get away" for those three days. He runs himself down mentally and financially even while he's trying to be happy just for a few days. This book gives a far more thorough description of "phony" than any written definition could. To Holden, phony means typical, conventional, or insincere. I've actually come across a book that markets phoniness as a means to success- "How to Win Friends and Influence People." It says to smile whether you're happy or not, fake interest in and exaggerate admiration for other people, shift blame for your actions elsewhere, protecting your image, and the kind of phony things that would make Holden's blood boil. This book is very popular and if you read it you'll be able to detect those who use it and you'll be reminded of this book. I'm reminded of this book whenever I see the kinds of superficial, artificial social interactions that Holden decries. Every time I see graffiti, especially a "F*ck You" written somewhere, I'm reminded of this story, because Holden talked about how he always erased the "f*ck you's" written everywhere and how no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't erase them all. Holden speaks with authentic teenage language-- using fragments, simple sentences, and slang words like "heighth". This book is written in poor English but it's good writing because it really sounds like a teenager speaking and not the author. I've found that a "caul" is a membrane that covers the head of a fetus during birth which represents the blindness and innocence of childhood. Hold-on Caul-field. Holden doesn't want to grow up because he doesn't like what he sees of the adult world. Although Holden Caulfield feels so detached from society, he is still very adversely affected by it. He seems to be the only one in the whole story who has reacted like this to the world. Why? Partly because Holden has redeeming qualities-- he refuses to become phony and corrupted as best as he can. He's too reactive though. He needs to focus on developing himself and try to tune out what bothers him. He should more seriously consider Mr. Antolini's advice and even consider going back to him as the good friend he was of Holden. He's too pessimistic, shown by how he hardly likes anyone he meets and he even runs from Mr. Antolini, who understood him, cared for him, and listened to him. In the ending, even Phoebe blames Holden for his own problems. The ending is somewhat inconclusive. All we know is Holden is in some type of mental hospital "taking it easy." But will he recover? I don't know. First of all, he probably won't get along with his shrink. He might eventually commit suicide. It seems the only way for him to recover is to take on the very qualities he hates. Holden tells the story from his viewpoint. If it were told from the viewpoint of someone else, they might say he just needs to "grow up" and appreciate what privileges he has and stop being so cynical and critical. He sure is a cynic but remember what they say: "A cynic is a disillusioned idealist."
Rating:
Summary: The book about us, the teenagers.
Review: As I started to read this novel, The Catcher in the Rye, I did not like it. There was no point to the novel. Nothing made sense, but as I kept reading this novel I liked it. This book represents many teenagers like what they go through, how they live with others, what they think about others. This book is perfect, because it makes you think that you are Holden, you know his feelings, and Holden lets you everything in details.
The way that Holden talks may offend many people because it uses profanity, but it represents who he is and lets us know the he is depress, he does not uses profanity like goddamn to feel cool, its to lets us know that he is depress after his brothers death and being kicked out of school.
I will be sixteen soon, and I just finished reading the book, and I think that this book resembles lots of teenagers. Irresponsibility, arrogance, laziness are just things that represents us like teenagers.
One thing I know for sure is that if one day this book makes its first movie, it will be a great movie, and I know I will be there to watch it. This novel is the greatest book I ever read in my life, I even think that is even better than To Kill a Mockingbird, because this novel does not take to deep into the book, it does not describes everything as it does in The Catcher in the Rye. That is what makes this novel really good, it makes you feel as Holden from the beginning to the end. Other thing for sure I know I will do is to recommend this book who is a teenager to make them realize who they are.
Rating:
Summary: Misunderstood
Review: Only is the Bible as misunderstood. "The Catcher in the Rye" is not about American schools or adolescence. The wounded soul Holden Cauffield is an Outsider. He is to society the "inessential other." And this will continue for him in the years to come. His relation to the world is hard, awkward, incommunicable. Holden himself cannot even be introduced. This is why there is no preface to the book, no afterward, no introduction. Holden struggles to introduce himself, hence the book. But we have a problem. This book should not be popular: it "condemns the masses." Yet people everywhere love Holden. How can they, really? Since when are "losers" payed attention to? Since when are the Holdens in real life given a chance? That this book is popular is proof enough that Holden was right all along. Its success shows that people pretend to care. Is it not obvious that Holden is a deeply lonely person? He is too unique to be "one of the guys." Only 5% of the world can relate to him, truly. Yet everyone says "I can relate to Holden." If you have a boyfriend, you cannot relate to him. If you have a girlfriend, you cannot relate to him. If you have real friends, you cannot relate to him. If people listen to you, when you talk, you cannot relate to him. If you know how to have a good time, you cannot relate to him. If you can relate your problems with sentences, you cannot relate to him. If you are an extrovert, you cannot relate to him. If you like loud music and big concerts, you cannot relate to him. Let's be honest. I've known some Holdens. They were neglected or made fun of constantly. But the "cool kids" in class said "I think Holden is cool." When class was out, they'd go to their parties and forget to invite the actual Holdens in the school.
Let's be honest. No social climber can say "I relate to Holden, I was an outcast once." That is the point. Holden's problem has a sense of duration.
Rating:
Summary: Wrong interpretations
Review: i find it amusing that those who give it so few stars do not get the essence of the book, that of what it is like to be shown the ugliness of the world, the loss of innocence. its not a book about teenage angst or rebellion, if it was then why would it be required reading for so many years? it has carried such a literary torch because it can easily be translated into any era or generation, untill a utopian society is formed.
Rating:
Summary: Why every troubled teen needs to read this.
Review: I thought ,The Catcher in the Rye, is one of the best books ever written. I read this for my English class and I was able to relate to Holden in one way or another. He is the one of the greattest characters in literature composed. If you are lost or just feel like this world owes you something, you'll love this book. Holden tells it like it is, it's beautiful. And I'm 16 years old so I know what I am talking about, and I hate it when old people tell you what to read but this is good. I know I'm babbling so I'll end it.
Rating:
Summary: A BAG OF EMOTIONS WITH FUN
Review: This famous book has captured many hearts especially young ones because its is so realistic and satisifies what you expect out of a struggling teen's life with a lot of insight. It is easy to compare to the main character because it clicks after every chapter the message and humor. It is funny in all the right places and random too, but it is also filled with expressions. This great book should be on anyone's read list.
Rating: 
Summary: I Don't Get It
Review: I had heard so much about this so called classic that when I found it included in a box of used books given to me I eagerly attacked it. 10 pages in I was puzzled...20 pages in I was sure I was missing something...30 pages in I was bored to tears. I stuck through this sorry mess to the bitter end in the hopes that there might be some redeeming factor to it but, alas, there was none to be found. This book was obviously an attempt to speak to the feelings of loneliness and alienation often felt by adolescents but the protagonist's self-pitying, stream of consciousness torrent of complaints against all of existance left me wanting to scream "Shut the @#?! up". Truly one of the worst books I have ever read.
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