The Catcher in the Rye

The Catcher in the Rye

A Coming-Of-Age Classic on Belonging and Teenage Alienation
by J.D. Salinger
Psychology 18 min read ★★★★☆ 4.2 (303)
Read Summary

About This Book

The Catcher in the Rye (1951) is J. D. Salinger’s classic coming-of-age novel, telling the story of the troubled young Holden Caulfield. Holden has just been expelled from school, and spends several days traversing New York City, sharing his opinions of the world around him.

Who Should Read This?

  • Lovers of coming-of-age stories
  • Classic literature fans
  • People who dislike phonies

About the Author

J. D. Salinger (1919–2010) was born in Manhattan and served in World War II. The Catcher in the Rye was his first novel, published in 1951. The reclusive writer wrote many more shorter works, including Franny and Zooey, a short story and a novella, but remained best known for Catcher, which is one of the most popular American novels.