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The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger


KAY

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it was akin to chewing glass. :smile2:

 

But fine crystal.....not ordinary glass. :lol:

 

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

I loved Holden and I loved this book. It was so long ago that I read it, in high school like many of you, that I'm really fuzzy on he details. Anyways a great classic IMO. Glad you read it Pontalba.

 

I love sort of "going back" and filling in the "should have reads". Earlier this year I read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Farenheit 451. Still need to read The Red Badge of Courage though.....

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I love sort of "going back" and filling in the "should have reads". Earlier this year I read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Farenheit 451. Still need to read The Red Badge of Courage though.....

 

Me too. I was so mule headed when I was young, that if I was supposed to read a book for school, I would usually dig my heels in and refuse to read it. Dumb.

Partially I think it was due to the fact that I'd started reading ahead of my age (so-called) parameters, and I thought what ever they suggested was just too boring.

 

Wrong!

Anyhow, now I do want to go back and read what I missed.

Hindsight...20/20 :blush:

 

I did read Red Badge of Courage though I can't remember a word of it, :roll: I remember liking it.

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  • 1 month later...
Me too. I was so mule headed when I was young, that if I was supposed to read a book for school, I would usually dig my heels in and refuse to read it. Dumb.

Worst reading thing I ever did was do English Lilterature A Level - did my head in and for a long time refused to read anything on the syllabus or anything that I considered worthy of being 'studied'. Which means I missed, Margaret Atwood, Austen, Dickens, Hardy..... stupid.

Can remember screaming I just want to read it not find things that I didn't think were there!!!

And having said that read Great Gatsby and liked the different images in that when they were explained, (by a diffrent teacher as I walked out of my lesson :readingtwo: )

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  • 1 year later...

Just finished reading 'Catcher' -

I found Holden irritating - I did sympathise with him to an extent but the book just didnt grab me and I had to force myself to finish it. I am glad I did but after reading some of the comments here I am sure I have missed something. Perhaps the simple answer is that I have too much on my own mind to read between the lines.

 

I decided to try a modern classic for a change of scene and to try and rediscover my mojo but am left wondering why its a must read?

Kx

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I read this a few years ago and quite enjoyed it. I agree with some of the comments that you might enjoy it more/less depending on where you're at in life.

 

I enjoyed the style of writing and found Holden Caulfield both irritating and endearing at times. It's a book I'll look forward to reading again one day, and hopefully enjoying it even more the second time 'round.

 

I also agree with the comments about reading at school. Those books they make you read are never much fun because you have to analyse them to death instead of just enjoying them for what they are. I've since re-read a couple of those books and found them much more enjoyable!

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I'm re-reading this book now and I have to day that I can find it much more bearable second time round. The main character is quite irritating because I find that he's such a hypocrite, calling everybody a "phony" when he himself is such a compulsive liar. As a lot of you have said, the personality of Holden can put you off the book.

 

I can relate to the character at the same time though. I agree with a lot of his sentiments about the world and about people in general, although I wouldn't be as much as a misanthrope as he is. It is a very enjoyable read but you have to be in the right frame of mind to take the book in IMO.

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Glad to see I'm not the only one who didn't like this book. I have read it a while ago because it seemed to be one of the best modern classics ever, but I was really disappointed. All I remember thinking is "Why should I ever be interested in this spoiled brat's antics??" LOL :lol:

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Glad to see I'm not the only one who didn't like this book. I have read it a while ago because it seemed to be one of the best modern classics ever, but I was really disappointed. All I remember thinking is "Why should I ever be interested in this spoiled brat's antics??" LOL :lol:

That pretty much sums up my feelings too!

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I read this a few years back when it featured on the BBC's Big Read programme; CitR's segment was introduced by Ruby Wax and if that fact didn't put me off, Holden being a spoiled brat sure wouldn't either!

 

And really, I didn't mind that he was a spoiled brat. In fact, I liked that about him. I've never thought you have to like a character to enjoy the book, as long as they're well-written and he was. He was a tosser for a reason - depression, dysfunctional family, whatever...but I read it with a view to understanding him rather than thinking, "Guy's a loser. Why am I reading this?!"

 

Even though it's a short book I can't remember it in extreme detail as, like I said, it's been a few years since I read it but I have my own copy and will definitely read it again. But one thing I do recall is thinking, "This is going onto my favourite books list." I think it stands at 30 or 31 so far - I'm lucky if I add one a year. So that's how good I thought it was. :)

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When I originally took up the book it was because it was a classic, and sort of a big deal to people. It was on a couple of "banned books" lists. Also, daughter of pop-culture that I am, I saw the movie "Conspiracy Theory" and the movie suggested that the US government tracked copies who bought "The Catcher..." because these people were threats, or maybe just to keep an eye on those people that were one-brick-shy-of-a-load. Anyway, it made me curious. After reading the book, I felt a different kind of curiosity, and strangely enough a little comfort. I was curious as to how this story made it on any list at all. That anyone who read it when it first came out passed it on or recommended it to anyone else is actually extraordinary. And the comfort... well, every once in I while, more so when I was in school, I would get the feeling that I might just be going crazy..."this could be it; I think I need help." I find comfort that this "going crazy" thing is normal enough that someone wrote about it, and that millions read about it and call it a classic.

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I read Catcher In The Rye last week and I really enjoyed it. The writing style got old after awhile, but I had to keep in mind that this was a 16 year old describing his past few days after being kicked out of Pensey, and his feelings towards certain people and situations. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out Holden. It wasn't until I finished the book that I realized he just a teenager trying to hold on to innocence, and that everything would seem "phonie" to him because he hasn't grew into an adult state of mind yet.

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I read Catcher In The Rye last week and I really enjoyed it. The writing style got old after awhile, but I had to keep in mind that this was a 16 year old describing his past few days after being kicked out of Pensey, and his feelings towards certain people and situations. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out Holden. It wasn't until I finished the book that I realized he just a teenager trying to hold on to innocence, and that everything would seem "phonie" to him because he hasn't grew into an adult state of mind yet.

 

Not only that, but he's a 16-year-old talking to his shrink. He's a wonderfully unreliable narrator.

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A very long time ago this author and this book received a nod from the anti establishment clique and has lived on it ever since. The story does redeem itself, though the story for all it is, could've been told in a more accessible fashion.

Edited by Kell
Inserted ALL the capitals!
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  • 4 weeks later...

I was pretty disappointed by it. I suppose because I'd heard all this hype for years and when I finally read it, I felt a bit cheated.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed how it was written and everything. I just didn't see the big hooplah that everyone had built it up to be.

 

But then I didn't see the big deal with The Dark Knight either so maybe I'm defective haha

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