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J. D. Salinger

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The Catcher in the Rye Mass Market Paperback – May 1, 1991

by J.D. Salinger (Author)

4.4 39,669 ratings

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The "brilliant, funny, meaningful novel" (The New Yorker) that established J. D. Salinger as a leading voice in American literature--and that has instilled in millions of readers around the world a lifelong love of books.

"If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth."

The hero-narrator of The Catcher in the Rye is an ancient child of sixteen, a native New Yorker named Holden Caufield. Through circumstances that tend to preclude adult, secondhand description, he leaves his prep school in Pennsylvania and goes underground in New York City for three days.

Reading age

16+ years, from customers
Print length

240 pages
Language

English
Lexile measure

790L
Dimensions

4.75 x 0.8 x 6.7 inches
Publisher

Little, Brown and Company
Publication date

May 1, 1991
ISBN-10

7543321726
ISBN-13

978-0316769488
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Popular Highlights in this book

What are popular highlights?

Almost every time somebody gives me a present, it ends up making me sad.
Highlighted by 2,017 Kindle readers
“Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.”
Highlighted by 1,948 Kindle readers
Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.
Highlighted by 1,648 Kindle readers

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In Mr. Salinger we have a fresh voice. One can actually hear it speaking, and what is has to say is uncannily true, perceptive, and compassionate."―Clifton Fadiman, Book-of-the-Month Club News

"We read The Catcher in the Rye and feel like the book understands us in deep and improbable ways."―John Green

"A contemporary master--a genius...Here was a man who used language as if it were pure energy beautifully controlled, and who knew exactly what he was doing in every silence as well as in every word."―Richard Yates, New York Times Book Review

"Salinger's work meant a lot to me when I was a young person and his writing still sings now."―Dave Eggers

About the Author

J. D. Salinger was born in New York City on January 1, 1919, and died in Cornish, New Hampshire, on January 27, 2010. His stories appeared in many magazines, most notably The New Yorker. Between 1951 and 1963 he produced four book-length works of fiction: The Catcher in the Rye; Nine Stories; Franny and Zooey; and Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour--An Introduction. The books have been embraced and celebrated throughout the world and have been credited with instilling in many a lifelong love of reading.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0316769487
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Little, Brown and Company (May 1, 1991)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 7543321726
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316769488
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 16+ years, from customers
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 790L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.75 x 0.8 x 6.7 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #16,727 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #71 in Teen & Young Adult Classic Literature
- #71 in Classic American Literature
- #628 in Classic Literature & Fiction

Customer Reviews:
4.4 39,669 ratings

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J. D. Salinger

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Born in New York in 1919, Jerome David Salinger dropped out of several schools before enrolling in a writing class at Columbia University, publishing his first piece ("The Young Folks") in Story magazine. Soon after, the New Yorker picked up the heralded "A Perfect Day for Bananafish," and more pieces followed, including "Slight Rebellion off Madison" in 1941, an early Holden Caulfield story. Following a stint in Europe for World War II, Salinger returned to New York and began work on his signature novel, 1951's "The Catcher in the Rye," an immediate bestseller for its iconoclastic hero and forthright use of profanity. Following this success, Salinger retreated to his Cornish, New Hampshire, home where he grew increasingly private, eventually erecting a wall around his property and publishing just three more books: "Nine Stories," "Franny and Zooey," "Raise High the Roof Beam, and Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction." Salinger was married twice and had two children. He died of natural causes on January 27, 2010, in New Hampshire at the age of 91.

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4.4 out of 5

39,669 global ratings

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Joseph Capell

addresses the part in all of us which hates phoniness.

Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2024

Verified Purchase

This is a re-read for me. Lately I've been reading a few books I read as a teenager. Sixty years of living give me a different perspective. I remember thinking that Holden was a clever fellow who had just lost his way temporarily. Now I see that his abhorrence of phoniness is something we all have. Some of us surrender to phoniness and become masters of it. Some of us merely call a truce. Some of us make it a life's crusade. The book leaves me wondering which road he takes. that's a good thing.

4 people found this helpful

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jimboinaz

Bought on a Recommendation

Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2024

Verified Purchase

Of the seven books I ordered, this was the only one that suffered any damage.
Front cover is a little bent, but nothing to mandate a return or replacement.

The Catcher in the Rye was a recommendation from my neighbor.
Looking forward to it. Thank You

Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2023

Verified Purchase

J.D. Salinger's 'The Catcher in the Rye' is a timeless classic that takes readers on a poignant journey into the mind of its young protagonist, Holden Caulfield. The novel presents a raw and introspective narrative, centered around the disillusioned yet perceptive sixteen-year-old navigating the complexities of life in New York City.

Salinger's masterful storytelling unfolds as Holden Caulfield embarks on a three-day odyssey after leaving his prep school, delving into the heart of New York City. The novel artfully weaves the voices of children, adults, and the underground society, but it is Holden's voice that resonates the loudest. His eloquence, a blend of simplicity and complexity, offers a deeply personal insight into his world.

Holden Caulfield emerges as a character both relatable and enigmatic, his yearning for authenticity and genuine human connection palpable throughout the narrative. Salinger beautifully captures the tumultuous emotions and inner turmoil of adolescence, making the character and his experiences incredibly genuine and evocative.

The novel's brilliance lies in Salinger's ability to transcend vernacular while maintaining an authentic portrayal of Holden's unique voice. The contrast between Holden's attraction to beauty and his internal pain creates a compelling duality that resonates with readers. Holden's self-imposed isolation and his struggle to grapple with life's complexities evoke both empathy and admiration for his resilience.

'The Catcher in the Rye' is a testament to the human experience, exploring themes of identity, alienation, and the search for meaning. Salinger skillfully delves into the complexities of the human psyche, capturing the bittersweet essence of adolescence and the struggle to preserve innocence in a world filled with hypocrisy and disillusionment.

This novel is not just a story; it's an exploration of the human condition, an invitation to reflect on the universal themes of pain, pleasure, and the human quest for authenticity. Holden Caulfield's journey is a mirror reflecting the turbulence and genuine emotions that shape the adolescent experience.

While some readers may find the themes and Holden's perspective challenging, 'The Catcher in the Rye' remains an enduring classic that continues to captivate audiences with its richly textured narrative and its unflinching portrayal of youth and society.

I rate 'The Catcher in the Rye' with four stars for its timeless relevance, evocative storytelling, and its enduring ability to connect with readers across generations, inviting them to ponder the complexities of the human condition.

9 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

Pulled Me In

Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2023

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The main character, Holden, makes me feel as though he is talking directly to me! He makes the ordinary seem interesting. I share his sentiments about phoney people, especially actors and actresses.
The story about the whistler on page 63 of my kindle was silly cute like many of his little antedotes!
The way he keeps saying he must be crazy for the things he thinks, I believe many people can relate to.
His descriptive stories are hilarious and I think he says what many people are thinking.
I would have liked it to continue much longer.

2 people found this helpful

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John Dinger

Enjoyed this story.

Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2024

Verified Purchase

Been wanting to read this for many years to see why it has such acclaim in the literary world. It's an enjoyable story, but I can see why it's not a prize winner. However, I would recommend this as a good read.
I compared it to another book I had finished not long ago, Confederacy Of Dunces, which I think is far superior in writing style. It won a Pulitzer Prize and it shows why.

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jim rice

Holden, Holden, Holden...

Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2013

Verified Purchase

I'm not really quite sure what all the fuss is about this book...
I certainly found the narrative engaging, and I really enjoyed the authenticity with which Holden seemed to speak and express himself, but, while I identified with much of the way he felt and (re)acted, and the internal monologues were simply dead-on perfect, I never really connected with anything until I was nearly 90% finished. Perhaps had I read this when I was younger it would have affected me more, but now, as I try to find or create a connection, I'm just left... Well. I'm just left.

It was Mr. Antolini's note to Holden that finally grabbed my attention.
"It is the mark of an immature man that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while it is the mark of a mature man that he wants to live humbly for one."

I was told I was too immature recently, and it just killed me. "Boy, it really did."
I tried to figure it out and tried to understand how I gave that off. Without truly knowing what I was doing, I think I realized that I had given up on the option of living humbly (or living at all) for any cause at all long ago. Whether it be something, someone, or just myself. At some point I was finally able to see something in front of me and felt like I understood what it was to live for something. Not just, as I've often thought in the past, to be the catcher in the rye for anyone who strayed too close to the edge but to be the catcher for a specific reason... and to equally allow the possibility that I also, at times, might need a catcher myself. I wish I had the gift of speech and introspection such that I could have so succinctly put my thoughts, feelings, and actions into words.

This epiphany... or at least the motivation for it... evaporated quite quickly, and I, missing the point, fell back into searching for something for which I could nobly die.

To see Holden cry for and over his little sister for whom he obviously held a great respect and had the utmost love, come to the conclusion that he should not tell anyone anything was quite rather depressing. I waver, but is it worse to live in fear of missing someone and, therefore, remain isolated or is it worse to allow yourself to catch and be caught and, inevitably, miss those who caught you and are now gone? Did he "really like" people who were dead precisely because the only thing left to do was miss them? Knowing there was no hope of actually being open with those that he'd lost and, therefore, no risk in missing them more seems like the perfect depressing escape. One with which, in the past, I likely would have agreed completely. I still struggle with that question today, and I honestly don't know the answer, but I am glad this book turned out the way it did giving me another pretty clear perspective into one potential answer to one of life's most important questions.

For Holden to have kept Mr. Antolini's paper (especially in a way that seemed meaningful to him) and still arrive at his final conclusion was a bit jarring. Especially in light of the final scenes when he *should* have been able to see the cause right in front of his face, even if he couldn't realize that he himself was cause enough.

Sooo... I had to try pretty hard to pull something out of this that seemed to really matter to me, but I think I got it. Or at least I got something. Overall, enjoyable, but nothing particularly amazing. At least I can now say that I've read it.

7 people found this helpful

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Valmir Almagro

Um grande clássico da literatura americana

Reviewed in Brazil on December 19, 2023

Verified Purchase

Todos precisam ler sobre a vida de Holden Caulfield.

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yalcinn

One should just read it:)

Reviewed in Germany on December 4, 2023

Verified Purchase

I don't what was so special about this book but I'm sure every adult will find something in this book from their teenage years. You won't regret reading it. Highly recommended.