The Catcher in the Rye

Rating:
Summary: here's to children
Review: Great for teens, even better for adults. Constantly hailed as a book for youth, I think Catcher in the Rye should be read by adults. For all those who complain about Holden the hypocrite and Holden the jadded and foul mouthed punk, yes, that is the point. The inauthenticity of the 9 to 5, the cookie cutter, edward scissorhands innane-ness of "big" or "real" life. Movies, video games, etc that include violence, sexuality and language are labeled "for mature audiences only." Should be "for immature audiences especially." I truly think we can learn about how to heal and enjoy life again through children. Maybe we could all think of ourselves as catchers of humanity.
Great stuff.

Rating:
Summary: Why It Deserves 1/5 Stars
Review: If you've ever witnessed a small animal being run over by a car you have some idea of what this book is about. It's senseless, disturbing and everybody points at it and makes you look. The only reason i chose to read this book was because of all the raving people did about it. I'm not a high schooler by any means and i've had a lot of time to reflect over this book. I find it as pointless as the day i read it. You would be much better off reading a nice Grisham, actually and algerbra textbook would be more interesting than this book. Unless you like things repeated three times by a mentally disturbed main character i would suggest you disregaurd all the good reviews. I'll give you a quote that pretty much sums up the main characters speach pattern "I don't like her she's phoney. she really is. honestly.. she so phoney in every way....I know I've only looked at her luggage and know nothing about her." Thanks for reading my review, take my advice.

Rating:
Summary: This book should be on your top 10 list!
Review: This book is, in a word, awesome! I can't imagine another book nearly as real, original, or subtly humorous as Catcher in the Rye. You might compare this work along the lines of A Separate Peace, another great novel, but I find Catcher in a league of its own.

Holden is a modern tragic hero in the story as he sets himself apart from the phoniness around him while trying to protect the innocence of children. The funny thing is that Holden suffers from chronic lying and a personality only his sister Phoebe and a few teachers can stand. He fits the stereotypical teenage loner type with his hatred of Pency teachers and jocks, an apathy towards schoolwork, and his need to get alchohol. This characterization is balanced by Holden's ideals, his inability to grasp the concept of change, and his sincere love of his siblings(sister Phoebe, late brother Allie, and brother D.B.). If the book doesn't make sense to you then you should read it again.

It's a great book, and even if you don't understand it, you got to give it credit for its originality. Think of it as a breath of fresh air from half a century ago.

Rating:
Summary: Annoying book then, annoying book now
Review: I hated this book in high school and I hate it now. The author uses the words "anyhow" and "old" and "to tell you the truth" so many times on a page that it makes my head throb. Reading the book is like reading one continuous run-on sentence.

Rating:
Summary: Best Book I Have Ever Read
Review: First off, if somehow you haven't heard of this book before (you live in a cave or something), disregard any review that gives it 1/5 and says it has no point. This is obviously a review from a high schooler who hates the point of the novel (because it makes them see their own flaws). I read this book in high school and it was the best and most eye opening reading experience of my life. If you're a high schooler reading it for the first time I hope that you have someone to discuss it with so you don't miss the entire point of the novel like the 1/5-ers did.
Anyway, get this book. It is incredible.

Rating:
Summary: it just goes down hill
Review: this book was great at the beggining then as it went on it slowly lost it's edge. The plot never got moving, and it kind of just slowed down until it stopped. I would not recommend reading this book for it has little to no point

Rating:
Summary: Took its place long ago
Review: This classic book took its place long ago in the cannon of great literature narrated by children or teens. Twain's "Huck Finn," Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird," and McCrae's "The Bark of the Dogwood" are just some of the others, but "Catcher" is different, for when it emerged on the scene, it was like nothing else to come before it. But then, come to think of it, neither were "Huck" "Mockingbird" or "Dogwood." I suppose all of these books have one thing in common, and that is that they changed the way we look at literature--the way we look at everything that came before and after.

But even with that observation, something about "Catcher" is totally unique. Possibly it's Salinger's "voice" since there has been no other like it. Possibly it is Salinger's expert capturing of teenage angst--the veritable inner turmoil of what it's like to be a teenager.

Now, keeping this thought, realize WHEN the book was written. A totally different age where swearing, staying out late, and all the other things Holden does were not acceptable. You have to put this book in the context it was written. If you do, I'll guarantee you that you'll like it.

I must also recommend Salinger's "Nine Short stories" as they are excellent character studies and even better, in my opinion, than "Catcher."

Rating:
Summary: The Catcher in the Rye
Review: To start off this review, I think it'd be best to point out that Holden Caulfield is one of the greatest characters in literature history. There are few characters that can claim to be as memorable, as iconic, as Holden, let alone be the kind of partner in pain to all of us that Holden has become. The only two people that could possibly be equal to what Holden has become are James Dean and Kurt Cobain, and those two aren't even involved with the world of literature. Holden Caulfield is indeed mroe than just a great character; he has become the voice of pain to all of those people are depressed for no reason, the disgruntled teenagers going through their troubled phases, the people who think that the world is full of phonies, the people who just can't fit in or become a part of society. Holden Caulfield is a symbol.

We all know the plot; nothing. And this is one of the things that I have noticed that people dislike about the book, the fact the book is virtually plotless. And I have to say, I laugh at those who are so narrow minded that they can't even accept such a "drastic" branch off from normality as a book that is more like a series of connected events rather than a plot. I can't wait till you get to read Finnegans Wake.

But, as I've already stated, the book is "plotless," more like a series of events then a story, and that just contributes all the more to what the book is. The book is just a window into a mind that has come to symbolize the eternally unhappy. And what an eternally unhappy mind it is; everywhere he goes Holden calls people "phonies," talks about the things that bother him, the things that sadden him, attacks the word "marvelous"-just pretty much Holden's stream of conscience. And as the novel goes on we follow him wherever he goes, from his professor's home (can't remember his name, or even if he was his professor) before he leaves him boarding school (can't remember that either,) to his room where he meets his roommate that he just hates, to a New York hotel, to a club, to a rendevous with a prostitute, to just about everywhere else. And through the novel we peer into his eternally unhappy mind, watch him make all sorts of observations about what's going on around him as well as life, just watching him live and exist.

Hopefully, you'd think that this novel'd be for everyone. I really do doubt that there are many of us here who feel exactly the same way about exactly the same things as Holden. But there are however, many of us, millions of us, the majority of us even, who do feel for Holden. There are countless observations of his and feeling sthat went through I personally couldn't help but know, one example being the lonely depressed walk that eh takes through a New York park. And there also many among us who do feel there are at least a few "phonies" in the world, Holden's trademark. And if you don't feel any way in relation to Holden, not even to a minal degree, then chances are that you are one of those people that Holden attacked.

Rating:
Summary: the lamest, stupidest, pile of crap ever!!!!!!!! 0 stars!!!!
Review: never have I ever witnessed such depravity and hypocracy in one book. I dont think anyone is more hypocritical than holden caulfield. he constantly complains about phonies, but he is in fact very phonie. he constantly lies to everyone, so they can sympathise for him (ch.8). he conceils the fact that he's yellow (ch.13). he also conceils the fact that he's emotionally wounded (ch.20). and while conceiling things about himself, he hates stradlater for conceiling the fact that he's a slob (ch.4). at the end he tries to remove grafitti with swearing in it, but he swears all the time and in front of his little sister (ch.25) he says he wants to be a deaf mute so he won't have to engage in useless conversations, but he constantly wants to have conversations with strangers (ch.8). and the whole concept of being a catcher in the rye is utterly repulsive. no wonder I had to read this in school (thank god I'm done with it) along with "to kill a mockingbird", it's the perfect book and perfect concept to spoon feed to usefull idiots.

Rating:
Summary: Wanted to like it, but didn't
Review: To start off, I realize it's just this side of sacrilege to not like this book, but the frustration of hearing Holden blaming everyone else for his predicaments just got to be too much work for me to endure.

I started reading this book with great expectations, given the wonderful reviews this book has received since the time it was published, but after the fifth time Holden ranted about how everyone but him was screwed up I started to stop caring. It's one thing to read about childhood angst, or the pressures and stresses of adolescence, but Holden's attitude at first made me concerned, then sad, and finally, apathetic.

There was no growth on the part of Holden, nor was there any inkling on his part that a majority of his problems are of his own making. Even the pleadings of his "favorite" teacher fell on deaf ears. I've got news for you Holden, life is hard, and it takes a lot of work. Maybe Holden will someday grow up and start to see life differently, but within the confines of this book, Holden is just one of those guys you end up shaking your head at while thanking heaven you aren't him.

Perhaps I just missed the point...