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The Catcher in the Rye Paperback – January 30, 2001

by J. D. Salinger (Author)

44,369 ratings

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Anyone who has read J.D. Salinger's New Yorker stories--particularly A Perfect Day for Bananafish, Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut, The Laughing Man, and For Esme With Love and Squalor--will not be surprised by the fact that his first novel is full of children. The hero-narrator of The Catcher in the Rye is an ancient child of sixteen, a native New Yorker named Holden Caulfield.

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. The boy himself is at once too simple and too complex for us to make any final comment about him or his story. Perhaps the safest thing we can say about Holden is that he was born in the world not just strongly attracted to beauty but, almost, hopelessly impaled on it.

There are many voices in this novel: children's voices, adult voices, underground voices-but Holden's voice is the most eloquent of all. Transcending his own vernacular, yet remaining marvelously faithful to it, he issues a perfectly articulated cry of mixed pain and pleasure. However, like most lovers and clowns and poets of the higher orders, he keeps most of the pain to, and for, himself. The pleasure he gives away, or sets aside, with all his heart. It is there for the reader who can handle it to keep.

Editorial Reviews

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"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 ‏ : ‎ 0316769177
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Back Bay Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 30, 2001
Edition ‏ : ‎ Reissue
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0275965074
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316769174
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 15+ years, from customers
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.95 x 8 inches
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 790L

Best Sellers Rank: #263 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #4 in Teen & Young Adult Classic Literature
- #4 in Classic American Literature
- #13 in Classic Literature & Fiction

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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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Customers find this book to be a wonderful read that serves as a timeless coming-of-age tale, with a first-person narrative style that makes it super relatable and thought-provoking. The writing quality receives mixed reactions, with some finding the prose wonderful while others describe it as atrocious. While many find the character development highly relatable, some find the protagonist disturbing. The book's style is appreciated for its nice imagery, though some customers find it boring.

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Readability Story quality Narrative style Insight Style Writing quality Character development Boredom

870 customers mention "Readability"837 positive33 negative

Customers find the book to be a wonderful read, particularly noting it was great back in high school, and one customer mentions it's well written about prep school.

"...That's probably why the book is so addictive: it's a clean and straightforward writing, which makes it feel real, a very real account...." Read more

"Always a great book -son loved it and it was easy reading for the summer" Read more

"Raw and Real The Catcher in the Rye is a solid read—Holden Caulfield’s a messed-up kid wandering New York, ranting about “phonies” and life’s..." Read more

"...relevance, evocative storytelling, and its enduring ability to connect with readers across generations, inviting them to ponder the complexities of..." Read more

312 customers mention "Story quality"307 positive5 negative

Customers appreciate the story quality of the book, describing it as a classic coming-of-age tale with quaint insights.

"...very book, The Catcher in the Rye, which is considered a classic of USA's literature, being in Times list of 100 best books since 1923...." Read more

"...I rate 'The Catcher in the Rye' with four stars for its timeless relevance, evocative storytelling, and its enduring ability to connect with readers..." Read more

"Story is great but wanted a prettier cover art wirk for my bookshelf" Read more

"...I certainly found the narrative engaging, and I really enjoyed the authenticity with which Holden seemed to speak and express himself, but, while I..." Read more

124 customers mention "Narrative style"110 positive14 negative

Customers appreciate the narrative style of the book, describing it as a timeless slice of adolescent angst with a first-person perspective that is super relatable and poignant.

"...but to rather engage the reader to see that this book is indeed of deep meaning in which I never recognized 46 years ago...." Read more

"...It’s not action-packed, just him thinking and talking, but it feels honest...." Read more

"...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...." Read more

"...him writing this story after his service in WWII also puts the story in greater perspective, if your a history buff like me...." Read more

108 customers mention "Insight"81 positive27 negative

Customers find the book insightful and thought-provoking, with one customer noting it provides valuable lessons about society, while another describes it as a "glorious unravelling of a demented inner world."

"...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..." Read more

"...To me, it is the ability to learn from mentors (he has a few which he respects but thinks critically of them)-check, learn how we can make it in..." Read more

"...He’s everything he despises in other people: phony, a compulsive liar, hypocritical, selfish and self-centered...." Read more

"...Depressingly accurate even if it is narrowly focused. Good insight around how depression can loop your thinking and reinforce itself." Read more

88 customers mention "Style"77 positive11 negative

Customers appreciate the style of the book, noting its nice imagery and appealing cover, with one customer describing it as a well-made picture of youth.

"...The novel artfully weaves the voices of children, adults, and the underground society, but it is Holden's voice that resonates the loudest...." Read more

"...The book - it's different. Unique style. Angst. Youthful angst. I remember being a 15 year old running in the streets of Bridgeport CT." Read more

"...Like a new start. Beautiful and evocative, The Catcher in the Rye is a timeless coming of age tale. Five stars." Read more

"...Second, I am appreciating the descriptive and revealing sights and sounds of New York City, having been raised in Queens, spending much time in NYC..." Read more

328 customers mention "Writing quality"201 positive127 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing quality of the book, with some praising its wonderful prose and straightforward style that makes it a breeze to read, while others find the language atrocious and difficult to follow.

"...mainly because I think Salinger's descriptions and language usage of the late 1940s was terrific...." Read more

"...It was full of curse words, none of which I had ever heard in our home. There was mention of sex which was another taboo subject...." Read more

"...That's probably why the book is so addictive: it's a clean and straightforward writing, which makes it feel real, a very real account...." Read more

"...The book is written in the first person by Holden Caulfield and it tells of his relationships with his classmates, teachers and his parents...." Read more

104 customers mention "Character development"67 positive37 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the character development in the book, with some finding it highly relatable and praising Caulfield as an acclaimed character, while others find it uninteresting and disturbing.

"...I have never read, in my whole life, such a descriptive and well-developed character...." Read more

"...This really didn't happen with Holden and that lack of character growth is something that I came to realize I really appreciate in a novel and..." Read more

"...Holden Caulfield emerges as a character both relatable and enigmatic, his yearning for authenticity and genuine human connection palpable throughout..." Read more

"...Liked it way better the second time around. This is a really compelling character study that can’t help but make you examine your own pride and..." Read more

238 customers mention "Boredom"12 positive226 negative

Customers find the book boring and uninteresting, describing it as pointless.

"...This book tells a rather uninteresting story of this sixteen-year-old character Holden Caulfield and his wanders through New York for a couple days..." Read more

"...I understand the potential value, but thought it was the most boring book on the planet...I really did...a godddam bore for chrissake...with a bunch..." Read more

"...Or at least I got something. Overall, enjoyable, but nothing particularly amazing. At least I can now say that I've read it." Read more

"...somewhere between childhood and adulthood - terribly frusturated with everyone and everything, struggling to make sense of all that is happening..." Read more

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Yaroslav
Great!
Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2025
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Great classic!

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DEEDRA MILLER
D
Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2025
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GREAT

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Rick O
J.D. Salinger published this reputed American classic in 1951...
Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2012
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
J.D. Salinger published this reputed American classic in 1951, which was probably the most censored book in high schools and libraries until the mid 1980s. I'm not sure why it's considered a classic other than the fact that professors and publishers like looking for hidden meanings in each chapter. I'm not saying that I didn't like the novel, because I did enjoy it, but mainly because I think Salinger's descriptions and language usage of the late 1940s was terrific. I forgot about the word "crumby"- meaning inadequate, or "phony"- meaning pretentious. The narrator and protagonist of the novel, Holden Caulfield ( a seventeen year old boy ) uses these words a lot in his narration. And how about "flitty", or referring to people as "old" this or that? The writing in this novel is very strong, but the story is moderate at best to this reviewer. I don't see myself debating hidden meanings with anybody. I'm assuming it was censored in schools because of sexual allusions, the morality codes of the 1940s and 50s, family values and some coarse language ( very mild compared to today's language). The thing that puzzles me is the title of the book! Holden is walking through N.Y.C. and hears a little boy singing a song to himself. What's up with the title of the book? Shmoop states: "What's up indeed. The first mention we get of this mysterious catcher in this mysterious rye is when Holden overhears a little kid singing, "If a body catch a body coming through the rye." Momentarily, it makes him feel not so depressed, in part because Holden is a fan of little children, and the only things better than little children are little children who are singing." Apparently, Holden sees himself as the catcher in the rye catching the children as they fall off a cliff as he construed Robert Burns's 1796 poem. Who knows? Salinger was a kind of recluse and didn't give many interviews.

The book starts off with Holden Caulfield ( our protagonist ) in a hospital in Southern California narrating the story of his previous December's adventures in Pennsylvania and N.Y.C. The reader doesn't know whether it's a mental or physical hospital. Maybe that is one of the debatable points of this book. Anyway, he is being expelled from Pencey Prep in Pennsylvania. The reader gets the feeling that this isn't the first school that he's been thrown out of. He doesn't seem to see why learning is important, doesn't get along with his teachers, or roommates, and doesn't seem to respect his very successful parents. And what does his `red hunting hat' symbolize? He heads to N.Y.C. several days before his parents will receive the letter from Pencey Prep saying that he has been expelled. In N.Y.C., he books a cheap hotel and pines about his life. He likes to drink, smoke and make an ass of himself. He contacts previous girlfriend Sally, and makes a mess of things. He constantly thinks about calling another old flame Jane, but never does. He contacts his sister Phoebe, and an old teacher Mr. Antolini. The crux of the story is what happens on his adventures in N.Y.C, and the big debate with literary scrappers is : What's up with his mental health, and what does his movements mean? As far as this reader is concerned- who cares, just read and enjoy!

I wonder after reading this book if this Holden Caulfield character is really J.D. Salinger as a young man. I had the same feeling when reading John Irving's 'In One Person'. Anyway, you literary debaters, I think if you re-read page 170 you will find out how Holden Caulfield really feels about school and life: "You ought to go to a boy's school sometime. Try it sometime," I said. "It's full of phonies, and all you do is study so that you can learn enough to be smart enough to be able to buy a goddam Cadillac some day, and you have to keep making believe you give a damn if the football team loses, and all you do is talk about girls and liquor and sex all day, and everybody sticks together in these dirty little goddam cliques". Metaphorically speaking, I think Holden was literally drowning in boredom. Anyway, enough thoughts about Holden Caulfield's mental state that is being puppeteered by the cloistered J.D. Salinger! Just grab a copy and form your own opinions.

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Ken Saladin
Re-examining teenage Holden Caulfield through adult eyes
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2025
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Salinger intended "Catcher in the Rye" only as an adult novel, not the teen cult classic it became. It was an assigned novel when I was in high-school English, and had a lasting and not necessarily positive effect on my personality. Like so many other teen readers, I identified with Holden Caulfield's cynicism and sense of alienation from mainstream society at that time, and it took me quite a while to get over that. Now I'm 75, and I wanted to read it again and see how I react to it as an adult.

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Piano doglady
Better for a young person
Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2025
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
I am an older woman remembering that a college English professor said that everyone should read this book. I read as much as I could but I do not relate very well to the young college men and dropouts, much less their conversation, which I guess was notable in its time for its honesty, but not for me.

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Gustavo M. Hobold
If a body catch a body coming through the rye
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2011
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
"Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around - nobody big, I mean - except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff (...)"

J. D. Salinger is an American novelist and best known for this very book, The Catcher in the Rye, which is considered a classic of USA's literature, being in Times list of 100 best books since 1923.

This book tells a rather uninteresting story of this sixteen-year-old character Holden Caulfield and his wanders through New York for a couple days, after his expulsion from his boarding school, exposing the real face of teenager's life, in which the main character is also the narrator. What is perhaps more interesting is that he has such a depressed and lonely way of life that it is almost impossible not to have anything in common with this global character, who is supposed to represent the transition from childhood to adult life.

When I started reading this book, I found out that I was addicted to it, even though it had no plot at all. It really doesn't, it's just a dude telling about his life. But it is Holden who you are actually reading. I have never read, in my whole life, such a descriptive and well-developed character. You actually feel that you are reading a teenager's book who has failed in about four schools, not an intellectual like J. D. Salinger. That's probably why the book is so addictive: it's a clean and straightforward writing, which makes it feel real, a very real account. I do have a lot against writers and philosophers who are claimed to be wonderful and swell, but they can't write clearly such as Salinger does. This book may be read by anyone - in fact, it is aimed to teenagers and I do recommend them to read - and anyone who reads this book will understand what it is talking about. Some of them may not like, but they will surely get the least of it.

Holden Caulfield is this teenager that wanders around New York and lives a very teenager life - don't forget this book was written in the 50's - and finds himself in the transition from child to adulthood; facing problems like an adult - and that's probably why Salinger set him alone in NY - but still with a mind of a kid. While he tries to evolve, starts to find out that everybody looks fake and lousy, but he turns out to be a complete hypocrite, which is probably the main purpose of the book.

The title deserves five stars just for itself. Although you read the book until about the middle without getting where the author is trying to get you to, when Holden hears a little boy singing this song about a catcher in the rye - which he actually misspelled -, everything starts making sense. Holden flies through the book trying to find a shoulder to lean on, someone that will hold him while he's passing through his puberty, sexual life and depressing times of adolescence; and that's what he searches, even unaware of what's actually happening.

While he's not getting anything that's valuable from his current relationships - which are represented by his Pencey school and his friends in there -, he goes way back to the innocence of childhood and brings back his old memories and relationships in attempt to survive the hard times that is entering the adulthood. But when he actually gets to those memories, he is not a kid anymore and his mind has changed. In this quest of finding "a catcher in the rye", Holden even unburies his dead brother Allie and contacts people who are still in their innocent times - such as his sister - and people who are really in the adulthood, like his old teachers.

This transition is easily seen in every sense. From trying to drink being a minor to a massive change of his views on the world, contrasted by what he remembered things to be and what they really are right now. I highly recommend this book to anyone. This is surely one of the best - if not the best - novels I have ever read in my entire life. Although aimed to teenagers, this story is surely universal.

100/100

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SAGHI
Good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 20, 2025
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Very easy read and enjoyable!

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V
L'attrape-coeur
Reviewed in France on October 18, 2024
Format: Mass Market PaperbackVerified Purchase
Un classique de la littérature. A lire absolument.

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SM
what a great read
Reviewed in Australia on July 14, 2023
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A Timeless Classic of Teenage Rebellion and Identity Exploration

"The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger is a masterpiece that delves deep into the complexities of adolescence. Through the captivating voice of protagonist Holden Caulfield, Salinger skillfully captures the rawness and authenticity of teenage angst. This novel's exploration of rebellion, identity, and the loss of innocence makes it a must-read for anyone seeking a profound understanding of the human condition. It is a timeless classic that continues to resonate with readers of all generation

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valle
The Catcher in the Rye
Reviewed in Sweden on February 27, 2024
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It's as advertised. I have also attached pictures of how the book looks without the cover for those interested.

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valle

The Catcher in the Rye

Reviewed in Sweden on February 27, 2024
It's as advertised. I have also attached pictures of how the book looks without the cover for those interested.

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Customer
Genial!
Reviewed in Brazil on March 6, 2021
Format: Mass Market PaperbackVerified Purchase
Holden Caulfield é um menino de 16 anos em um colégio interno na Pensilvânia. Quando ele é expulso, decide fugir do colégio uma semana antes do semestre acabar, e pega uma viagem de trem até Nova York, onde ele mora, mas não volta para casa; com medo da bronca dos pais, ele decide passar a semana perambulando pelas ruas da cidade, até que a escola mandaria uma carta de expulsão e os pais descobririam de uma forma ou de outra.

Livro incrível! É super fácil de ler, com uma liguagem bem simples, por ser narrado pelo próprio Holden, um adolescente muito espertinho e sarcástico com um dom perfeito para se meter em problema! O livro me cativou tanto que, às vezes, até pareceu que era uma carta escrita do Holden para mim! kkkk

Quanto a qualidade do produto em si, chegou tudo certinho. Ele é muito parecido com a maioria dos livros de bolso que eu já tive; simples, de papel jornal, e sem orelhas.

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Customer

Genial!

Reviewed in Brazil on March 6, 2021
Holden Caulfield é um menino de 16 anos em um colégio interno na Pensilvânia. Quando ele é expulso, decide fugir do colégio uma semana antes do semestre acabar, e pega uma viagem de trem até Nova York, onde ele mora, mas não volta para casa; com medo da bronca dos pais, ele decide passar a semana perambulando pelas ruas da cidade, até que a escola mandaria uma carta de expulsão e os pais descobririam de uma forma ou de outra.

Livro incrível! É super fácil de ler, com uma liguagem bem simples, por ser narrado pelo próprio Holden, um adolescente muito espertinho e sarcástico com um dom perfeito para se meter em problema! O livro me cativou tanto que, às vezes, até pareceu que era uma carta escrita do Holden para mim! kkkk

Quanto a qualidade do produto em si, chegou tudo certinho. Ele é muito parecido com a maioria dos livros de bolso que eu já tive; simples, de papel jornal, e sem orelhas.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Great!

5.0 out of 5 stars D

4.0 out of 5 stars J.D. Salinger published this reputed American classic in 1951...

5.0 out of 5 stars Re-examining teenage Holden Caulfield through adult eyes

3.0 out of 5 stars Better for a young person

5.0 out of 5 stars If a body catch a body coming through the rye

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5.0 out of 5 stars Good read

5.0 out of 5 stars L'attrape-coeur

5.0 out of 5 stars what a great read

5.0 out of 5 stars The Catcher in the Rye

The Catcher in the Rye

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5.0 out of 5 stars Genial!

Genial!

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Great!

D

J.D. Salinger published this reputed American classic in 1951...

Re-examining teenage Holden Caulfield through adult eyes

Better for a young person

If a body catch a body coming through the rye

Good read

L'attrape-coeur

what a great read

The Catcher in the Rye

Genial!