A Catcher In The Rye...
Discussion
Sooo......
Possibly THE marmite book.
Personally, I think it's a book about a whiney little b
h being a whiney little bh, getting told he's a whiney little bhby people that are annoyed that he is being a whiney little bh, until he's told to stop being a whiney little bh by his Dad who sent him to a military school.
What makes this book a life-changing book for some people? Why the high regard? I didn't even think it was particularly well written (once I'd gotten over how crap the main character is).
Your thoughts...please.
Possibly THE marmite book.
Personally, I think it's a book about a whiney little b
h being a whiney little bh, getting told he's a whiney little bhby people that are annoyed that he is being a whiney little bh, until he's told to stop being a whiney little bh by his Dad who sent him to a military school.What makes this book a life-changing book for some people? Why the high regard? I didn't even think it was particularly well written (once I'd gotten over how crap the main character is).
Your thoughts...please.
I couldn't see what would inspire someone to murder because of it. Didn't the guy who shot Reagan cite it as well?
TKAMB is a far superior work of art. That book shone a light on a persistent injustice. CITR is essentially a rite of passage pulpy load of old rot that I gather rather reflects it's author.
TKAMB is a far superior work of art. That book shone a light on a persistent injustice. CITR is essentially a rite of passage pulpy load of old rot that I gather rather reflects it's author.
Justin Cyder said:
TKAMB is a far superior work of art. That book shone a light on a persistent injustice. CITR is essentially a rite of passage pulpy load of old rot that I gather rather reflects it's author.
I looked at it from a step back. I wonder whether the very self absorption and obnoxiousness of youth to adults is the point of the novel that Salinger was trying to get across. If you are 18 you have a completely different experience with the book than if you are 28; he spends the whole book whining about how nobody understands him. A late teen reader says "I totally get that", an adult throws the book across the room and screams "MTFU you pathetic little git". It's been a while since I've read it though, and I'm loathe to give it another go as I'm too old to like it now.
Edited by davepoth on Sunday 7th October 09:53
I like it. One of my favourite books of all time.
At first it does seem like whiney drivel, but when you look into it you see the complexities in the character caused by the events in his life, and can get a feel for how he becomes self destructive and why others relate to him in the way they do.
At first it does seem like whiney drivel, but when you look into it you see the complexities in the character caused by the events in his life, and can get a feel for how he becomes self destructive and why others relate to him in the way they do.
Justin Cyder said:
I couldn't see what would inspire someone to murder because of it. Didn't the guy who shot Reagan cite it as well?
TKAMB is a far superior work of art. That book shone a light on a persistent injustice. CITR is essentially a rite of passage pulpy load of old rot that I gather rather reflects it's author.
To be fair after reading it I was feeling pretty homicidal as well TKAMB is a far superior work of art. That book shone a light on a persistent injustice. CITR is essentially a rite of passage pulpy load of old rot that I gather rather reflects it's author.
Characters that you don't like can make good reading but they need to be well written and IMO Holden isn't. Were it not for all the controversy around the book in the early 60s I doubt anyone would give a flying fig about it now. It's become one of those books that a lot of people say is great because they think they are expected to.
KaraK said:
To be fair after reading it I was feeling pretty homicidal as well
Characters that you don't like can make good reading but they need to be well written and IMO Holden isn't. Were it not for all the controversy around the book in the early 60s I doubt anyone would give a flying fig about it now. It's become one of those books that a lot of people say is great because they think they are expected to.
Blue junior (age 17) is very much into literature, reading etc. He had never heard of Catcher in the Rye, he found it on my bookshelf and read it with no prompting from anyone. He really rates it, its up there with his favourites: The Hunger Artist - Kafka and 1984 - Orwell. Characters that you don't like can make good reading but they need to be well written and IMO Holden isn't. Were it not for all the controversy around the book in the early 60s I doubt anyone would give a flying fig about it now. It's become one of those books that a lot of people say is great because they think they are expected to.
blueg33 said:
KaraK said:
To be fair after reading it I was feeling pretty homicidal as well
Characters that you don't like can make good reading but they need to be well written and IMO Holden isn't. Were it not for all the controversy around the book in the early 60s I doubt anyone would give a flying fig about it now. It's become one of those books that a lot of people say is great because they think they are expected to.
Blue junior (age 17) is very much into literature, reading etc. He had never heard of Catcher in the Rye, he found it on my bookshelf and read it with no prompting from anyone. He really rates it, its up there with his favourites: The Hunger Artist - Kafka and 1984 - Orwell. Characters that you don't like can make good reading but they need to be well written and IMO Holden isn't. Were it not for all the controversy around the book in the early 60s I doubt anyone would give a flying fig about it now. It's become one of those books that a lot of people say is great because they think they are expected to.
I suppose what really gets me about Catcher is the sacred cow status it has in some quarters. I've been been accused of trolling elsewhere for daring to express a low opinion of it.
AM04ARO said:
I think it is a good book. A bit like being anti establishment for a year or two with the main character doing what you could do if you have the guts.
I thought I would read this and 'To kill a mockingbird' which was the better book.
I hated it, but love TKAM. "What would Atticus do?" is a good rule for life.I thought I would read this and 'To kill a mockingbird' which was the better book.
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