Book Name : Catcher In The Rye
Author : J.D. Salinger
What is it about : The story of a bored, grumpy and dissatisfied teenager, Holden, flunked yet another school with only his English subject passed, made his way (in a period of a couple of days) through New York's smoky bars trying to get an alcoholic drink, dubious hotels, gid-me-a-break taxi drivers, ex-teachers, ex-girlfriends, pimps, call girls and an adorable younger sister; building up to a finale of agreeing to attend "another" school in Autumn; that is instead of, heading west and build himself a log cabin and live an isolated life. Ha Hum...
Some thoughts after having read the book : Am I NOT feeling the pulses and emotional ups and downs of Holden because I am reading this novel WAY-PASSED my teenager days ? Or has the book outlived its place in the world in the current "modern", "liberal", "Facebook-era" space age ? The book was captivating insofar as I kept turning the pages expecting the "real" drama or climax to unfold but they failed to turn up ! The book was one long babbling monologue telling the reader what a loser, nowhere man Holden really is. At the end of the book, I tried to reflect what messages, philosophies or images did the Author convey over; unfortunately, none of these other than a reverberating down-and-out voice of a pain-in-the-butt chain-smoker telling you his sad tales.
Would I recommend this book to you : Hey, Man, this has been billed as, wait for it : "... one of the 100 best English-language novels in the 20th Century ... " but I beg to differ. Read it so you can claim that you have read "one of the 100 best English-language novels in the 20th Century". Have a few aspirins ready to kill off the headache caused by that annoying teenager ranting voice.
Author : J.D. Salinger
What is it about : The story of a bored, grumpy and dissatisfied teenager, Holden, flunked yet another school with only his English subject passed, made his way (in a period of a couple of days) through New York's smoky bars trying to get an alcoholic drink, dubious hotels, gid-me-a-break taxi drivers, ex-teachers, ex-girlfriends, pimps, call girls and an adorable younger sister; building up to a finale of agreeing to attend "another" school in Autumn; that is instead of, heading west and build himself a log cabin and live an isolated life. Ha Hum...
Some thoughts after having read the book : Am I NOT feeling the pulses and emotional ups and downs of Holden because I am reading this novel WAY-PASSED my teenager days ? Or has the book outlived its place in the world in the current "modern", "liberal", "Facebook-era" space age ? The book was captivating insofar as I kept turning the pages expecting the "real" drama or climax to unfold but they failed to turn up ! The book was one long babbling monologue telling the reader what a loser, nowhere man Holden really is. At the end of the book, I tried to reflect what messages, philosophies or images did the Author convey over; unfortunately, none of these other than a reverberating down-and-out voice of a pain-in-the-butt chain-smoker telling you his sad tales.
Would I recommend this book to you : Hey, Man, this has been billed as, wait for it : "... one of the 100 best English-language novels in the 20th Century ... " but I beg to differ. Read it so you can claim that you have read "one of the 100 best English-language novels in the 20th Century". Have a few aspirins ready to kill off the headache caused by that annoying teenager ranting voice.
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