The Catcher in the Rye question

This is one of those works that makes you wonder how sane the author was. It's just full of so much allusion and personal happenings that it reads like Bukowski sometimes. I don't hate this novel but it was confusing and frustrating as hell.

This was assigned reading my junior year in high school. Normally, I hate the assigned reading books and I almost never finish them. This book was the exception. I can honestly say that I LOVED every minute I read this book. I felt a deep connection to Holden and I did not find him whiny in the least. I can understand why people hated this book, but I think knowing that it was so hated made me like it even more. It is fitting that people don't connect with this classic like they do others because a failure to connect is what this book is all about. Holden has an awful time forming relationships and ends up hating and being hated. For those of us who do understand it though, it was like a breath of fresh air and truly enjoyable and mentally stimulating.

A real and unsentimental view of an adolescent in crisis. Salinger respects his characters and doesn't condescend.

Very origninal. loved it.

Never read it for school. Loved it though. The main character reminded me of my dead beat brother. He wants to do good but somehow always messes up. Story of my brother right there!