The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger, is a novel about a young, college kid in the
late 1900’s who has an extremely different way of looking about things as he is expelled from
his boarding school, again. This novel was written in 1951, which is pretty incredible,
considering how his book was banned in several libraries and was the most censored book from
the 1960’s to the 1980’s. Holden is going to the Pencey Prep. Academy in Pennsylvania, and he
flunks himself out, so he gets on a bus and goes on an adventure filled with cigarettes, phony
conversations, booze, prostitution, and depressing moments.

I think this book is very creatively thought through, and quite rebellious on the author’s behalf.
Holden is such a bipolar, unpredictable character. He could really get annoying at times; always
complaining about how depressed he was or how phony something was. If someone said
anything, like the word “grand”, Holden would immediately judge them and get all depressed
and caught up about it. However, the way that Holden thinks is what makes him different. I've
read about another character who reminds me a lot of Holden, Sutter Keely from The
Spectacular Now, and the person who recommended this book to me reminds me of Holden, so
I feel like I can understand all three people really well.

J.D. Salinger’s work was portrayed as scandalous and very vulgar right after it was published.
I feel like the world has come a long way from that time, and now people like me, a younger
audience, can enjoy a book without having to hear that it's too much for to understand. Past all
of the sexual references, and all of the supposedly frowned upon vulgarity,
it is a really innovative book, and I enjoyed it so much I might even re-read it.

All in all, The Catcher in the Rye is now one of my favorite books because of its raw material, and how the main character is such a bold and unique person.