New Essays on The Catcher in the Rye

The American Novel

by Jack Salzman (Editor)

First published in 1951, Catcher in the Rye continues to be one of the most popular novels ever written as well as one of the most frequently banned books in the United States. In his introduction to this volume, Jack Salzman discusses the history of the novel's composition and publication, the mixed reception it received from critics and scholars, the arguments surrounding the attempts at censorship, and its position in a postmodernist literary world. The five essays that follow focus on various aspects of the novel: its ideology within the context of the Cold War, its portrait of a particular subculture within American society, its account of patterns of adolescent crisis, and its rich and complex narrative structure.

Genres: Nonfiction, Essays

132 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 1992

Reviews

[Pat Shafer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am doing a research paper on Catcher in the Rye and used this for information. It contains excellent insight, i would recommend it to anyone doing a paper on or are seeking in depth analysis on the novel.

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love The Catcher in the Rye. I think I've read it five or six times. I have never, however, read it with a class or seriously discussed it with another person who has also read it, making this collection particularly appealing. The essays aren't bad. I read the first one a while back and don't remember it well, but I read the rest in a day and found them easy enough to follow and understand. I probably liked Holden's Museum Pieces and Love and Death in The Catcher in the Rye the best. I think it's interesting to read critical analysis of popular culture, particularly when the culture in question is so close to my heart, but I didn't find that any of these essays really impacted my view of the book or Holden or Salinger. In a way, it's nice to feel that I "get" the book as much as anyone else, but in another way, I wish there had been an essay that really challenged my perspective or understanding.

[Lukas]

good

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

'New Essays on The Catcher in the Rye' was the first book about a book I ever read and possibly my last. Boy am I glad I didn't chose to study Literature. Most of the essays started out right but I guess this kind of deepness and reflection is not for me. I want to read a book and like it or not like it but I don't want to exhibit every little detail and put it in a museum. Sure, I like reading about the characters and the writer and the themes in a book but that's that. Indept psychology and analysis goes a bridge too far for me, at least for now.

[Joseph Werns · Rating 2 out of 5]

The good thing about Literary reviews is that they make up for the fact that you don't have an English teacher to point out facets of the books you might have missed. Case in point, that Holden was in a sanitorium when he was telling the story of his misadventures.

But the bad thing is because they are written by English majors they are a little too caught up with showing how clever they can be.

[Jasmine Singh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book about a negativistic, borderline antisocial character with existential trimmings. Delves deep into the mind-workings of teenaged Caulfield over a short period of time. As he flits from one seemingly unconnected thought to another, it's rather hard to keep up the interest, as it is for Cauldfield to keep up his spirits.