February 1st, 2008
The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger
You know, I never read The Catcher in the Rye. Never had the chance to study it, never came across my past reading habits… so this was one of those titles I put on my 52 books in 52 weeks list as part of my «catching up» routine.
The only thing I was expecting from the novel was something good. Turns it out it was better than that. Holden Caulfield’s tragic psychological breakdown as he tries to find his place in society is brilliantly conveyed and quite human.
What worried me was how much of a “period piece” the book may have become fifty years after publication. But the the relevancy of the book’s themes to living in the 21st century is striking: alienation with society, isolation, solitude, and even distrust of technology. This book was published in bloody 1951. Apparently we have done quite little but expand upon our society’s anxiety. Quite frightening, actually.
Book: The Catcher In The Rye
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
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