J. D. Salinger has just died, aged 91.

Dionysus

I have to say, I hated Catcher in the Rye, no matter how many millions of teenagers have loved it. Then again, I read it at the age of 20, rather than 13 (it was, after all, originally written for adults), and I couldn't stand the juvenile "New York" (technically the fictitious city of Agerstown, Pennsylvania) lingo. It was that more than anything which made me give it up after about ten pages:

http://www.irishtimes.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._D._Salinger

walshb

The best book I have ever read to be honest. Full of fun and humor and sarcasm. So so real!

Dunjohn

I read it for college. 'Twas alright. I thought the Catcher metaphor was laid on a bit thickly, but a good read. Sorry he's dead, but at 91, it's not a bad age to be going.

Latchy

Just heard this on the bbc news now .Wonder how he felt about his most famous book being associated with that murder ? .

sales must went through the roof

mikom

Dionysus wrote: »

It was that more than anything which made me give it up after about ten pages:

You missed the last boss at the end......... he was epic.

Dunjohn

Mikoms ghost... wrote: »

You missed the last boss at the end......... he was epic.

John Lennon? Yeah, I heard only one guy passed him.

mikom

Dunjohn wrote: »

John Lennon? Yeah, I heard only one guy passed him.

No silly..... Attica State Prison.

phasers

I've never read it, must give it a go

bonerm

You're all phonies!

opinion guy

I remember really identifing with that book when our english teacher made us read it. That doens't seem like a healthy thing in retrospect.

Anyhow. Sad to hear this news

Closed ac

That's a god damn shame.

Elessar

RIP.

Terrible book though. Was it supposed to teach me something?

Latchy

bonerm wrote: »

You're all phonies!

JD who ??

Solvo Slep

Elessar wrote: »

RIP.

Terrible book though. Was it supposed to teach me something?

Yes, German. Are you saying it didn't help at all?

Elessar

Solvo Slep wrote: »

Yes, German. Are you saying it didn't help at all?

eh?

bonerm

Elessar wrote: »

eh?

It's spelt "was?" . Yep, that book clearly didn't teach you any German.

mike65

So no follow up then?

Dunjohn

No, but they're releasing a DVD of his rehearsals.

Latchy

' Catch her in the sack ' 'sounds like a good follow up title

Solvo Slep

mike65 wrote: »

So no follow up then?

There probably will be one within the next ten years, just like post-Puzo's "Godfather," post-Fleming's "James Bond" and (the rather more obscure) post-Hitler's "Mein Kampf" sequels.

tech77

This thread is kinda phony. :cool:

walshb

I always thought the book would make a great film. Nothing has come out yet.

My name is URL

I can't say I ever heard of him.. did hear of the book though

always assumed it was about pedophiles

bonerm

walshb wrote: »

I always thought the book would make a great film. Nothing has come out yet.

After he became a recluse I think he refused to let anyone to adapt it. Perhaps it's out of his hands now and a movie could get made?

myflipflops

Superb book and one of my list that i re-read about once a year.

Columbia

To be honest, I didn't know he was still alive.

RIP in any case though.

TPD

I read the book at 17 or 18 - didn't and still don't see what the big deal is.

PK2008

One of the best books ever written

Take my word for it, I know better than you

Sad to hear that, the Laughing man is a tremendous book, as is of Catcher in the rye. Great writer.

Elessar

Someone explain the whole point and/or meaning behind Catcher in the Rye.

No one I ever asked, even teachers, were able to answer that.

Herbal Deity

I think it's one of those books that has to resonate with you, and when it does, you love it, but if it doesn't I can see how you'd be puzzled as to why some people think it's so good.

Personally, I read it at the height of my angsty teenage phase, when I reckoned I had the world more or less worked out. Holden's bitter cynicism spoke to me like no other book had before.

RIP.

Jesus Juice

Latchy wrote: »

JD who ??

JD and coke.

PK2008

Elessar wrote: »

Someone explain the whole point and/or meaning behind Catcher in the Rye.

No one I ever asked, even teachers, were able to answer that.

Pfff, if you have to go round asking people the meaning of books then reading aint for you.

Latchy

Jesus Juice wrote: »

JD and coke.

Easy on the Rye

Elessar

PK2008 wrote: »

Pfff, if you have to go round asking people the meaning of books then reading aint for you.

Another atypical response to that question, as if I am a philistine or something.

Red_Marauder

What an amazing read Catcher In the Rye was, totally unforgettable in my opinion.

But despite that whenever I think of Salinger, I inevitably think first of my all time favourite story title, and it belongs to another of his works - "To Esmé - With Love and Squalor"

mikom

Elessar wrote: »

Someone explain the whole point and/or meaning behind Catcher in the Rye.

No one I ever asked, even teachers, were able to answer that.

Here's a clue........... the protagonists middle name is Morrissey.

walshb

To me, the whole point with the story was innocence, and how it's being lost to adults and phonies.

bonerm

walshb wrote: »

To me, the whole point with the story was innocence, and how it's being lost to adults and phonies.

That's it in a nutshell. The Catcher in the Rye was the one who saved children from becoming adults/phonies.

Solvo Slep

Elessar wrote: »

Another atypical response to that question, as if I am a philistine or something.

"Atypical?"

Duddy

RIP

Was just looking at the wiki pages for JD and Catcher in the Rye last night.
Read the book last year and loved it, totally does stick with you.

metaoblivia

Elessar wrote: »

Someone explain the whole point and/or meaning behind Catcher in the Rye.

A few people have answer your question very simply, but I just want to point out that while phoniness is a big motif in the novel, it's also important to remember that Holden Caufield is an unreliable narrator. He is emotionally unstable and therefore has a skewed view of the world. So the idea that adults are phony and children are innocent and he's trying to save them by acting as the catcher in the rye and catching the children before they fall into adulthood - yes that's true, in Holden's mind. A more thorough analysis of the book reveals a deeper message than that.

In short, the book is basically a character study, and Holden Caufield may be one of literature's first emo kids.

And RIP Salinger. One of the best writers of the 20th century. A Perfect Day For a Banana Fish and Pretty Mouth and Green My Eyes are two of my favorite short stories.

John I am

"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 before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap...


your creations will last a long time yet

RIP J D Salinger

opinion guy

bonerm wrote: »

You're all phonies!

tech77 wrote: »

This thread is kinda phony. :cool:

Elessar wrote: »

Someone explain the whole point and/or meaning behind Catcher in the Rye.

No one I ever asked, even teachers, were able to answer that.

In a nutshell - people suck

metaoblivia wrote: »

In short, the book is basically a character study, and Holden Caufield may be one of literature's first emo kids.

Hmmm.....in the voice of a plasticine wrestling referee....I'll allow it....

Another atypical response to that question, as if I am a philistine or something.

No not a philistine...but a phony...certainly..:P

Corkfeen

RIP, only read it about a year but t'was a fantastic read.

Bodhidharma

Terrible loss, especially since he had just gotten back in the public eye with his emphatic praise for Terminator:Salvation

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/new_terminator_movie_brings_j_d

Voodu Child

it was catcher in the ry what started my life long love afair with litrature

RIP dude

dr.bollocko

Ah crap.
Still though. Might mean some posthumous publications hopefully?
I know it's kinda heartless to say. Such an intriguing charactar.
RIP.

Dave!

I wasn't mad about the book either. It's my brother's favourite book and he told me to read it, but I was underwhelmed. Think I was 16 when I read it.

dr.bollocko

To me Catcher is just an absolute revelation of a book. Maybe I read it at the right time in my life or something. Don't know.
It's just incredible.

Crann na Beatha

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