After finishing my previous book so quickly I was once again stuck with the question “What do I read next?”. I returned back to the local book store to try to find my next reading project. After a few quick minutes of browsing I came across the classic novel “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger.
If you ask a variety of young adults which book they most enjoyed reading while in school (if they actually did any of the assigned readings of course), I would feel comfortable in saying that you would certainly hear “The Catcher in the Rye” more than a few times. In fact, if you had asked me the same question, I likely would have said the same thing. But in all honesty, I don’t even really remember what it was about other than the infamous Holden Caulfield. So I decided to purchase it and give it an adult re-read.
Holden is considered by some to be a “Hipster”, ironically before Hipsters even existed (by definition at least). The novel follows Holden’s adventures as he finds himself kicked out of, yet another school, and his antics along his journey back home. Holden always seems “too cool” for most people and places and often uses vulgar language as he finds himself in inappropriate situations. This is probably why most teenagers could relate to the novel so well.
This is one of the first stories I remember reading about that was based on the challenges of growing up and the way it feels being a teenager. I find myself being drawn to stories of youth, whether it is as a way to relive a time long gone, or as a somewhat therapeutic understanding that I was not the only one who struggled through their teenage years.
“The Catcher in the Rye” is far from a challenging read, but most certainly worth the time to read or re-read for that matter. It’s considered a classic for a reason people. You might just find the story still resonates with you.
