RIP - J.D. Salinger -Brilliant Review of Catcher in the Rye

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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1pJOx_Wxao[/youtube]

These videos by the Vlog Brothers are amazing. I don't know the name of the nerdy guy who's doing all the talking, but he sure has the ability to the attention of an audience, he captured mine. Believe me, you will be doing yourself a favor by watching, especially if you are one of those people who never got around to reading the book.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSR8J6LUaT8[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqfThmVIIAc[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUnQ-wOPGUE[/youtube]

I read it a loooong time ago.

All I remember is it's been found in almost every home of a serial killer...why...I dunno...

Like, I'm autistic and that guy is talking waaay too fast for me to be able to tolerate listening or even grasp much of what he's saying. Is the book worth reading, or not?

Me too. Probably much looooonger ago than you, pakled. I felt really attracted to the character of Holden Caulfield and the book is probably responsible, at least partially, for my wanting to become a writer. Don't know why it would be found in the homes of serial killers though. I don't want to make any unfounded equations or speculations.

Last edited by cosmiccat on 30 Jan 2010, 12:45 am, edited 1 time in total.

He does have a very unique style, but I think he's tremendously fascinating and I love all of his antics. I would say YES, the book is truly worth reading. Salinger is likely to have had Asperger's, according to the speculation of many, and AS traits certainly can be found to abound in his main character, Holden Caulfield.

Last edited by cosmiccat on 30 Jan 2010, 12:45 am, edited 1 time in total.

I read it in the 70s, just because I'd heard of it.

i'm not casting aspersions to the author, I'm sure he had nothing to do with people's reading choices. Possibly it's the attack on 'phonies' in the book that appealed to them....

It's also been mentioned that a lot of serial killers are also Trekkies, and as a trekker (inside joke), I don't make the connection...

I didn't think you were casting aspersions at all, just making a very good point. An attack against phonies is a good way to sum up the story, I think. I didn't realize that Trekies were associated with serial killers. That's interesting.
Also, it seems the Bible and the Koran are popular among serial killers.

Cultural References to Catcher in the Rye

Nice thought, but I imagine the people you have in mind might have a hard time following it The guy is a bit overwhelming and I found his ideas pretty obvious, but I appreciated the effort and enthusiasm.

I've read the book and loved it both as a teenager and later as an adult - I never really understood why so many people dislike Holden - I've heard all sort of nonsense from him not being "heroic" enough to him acting like a snob and not "having fun like a normal kid"... Weird.

Thanks for making this thread - it made me nostalgic in a very pleasant way...

Quoting Sallamandrina

All of which I am or have been guilty of myself at times.



I wonder if this could be Theory of Mind? I love this guy so you will love him to. Could be why I had so few playmates way back when, "Let's play Parchesi! I love Parchesi! You will love Parchesi too!" Actually, I preferred being alone in my room surrounded by stacks of comic books, but Parchesi up there with my favorite pastimes.

Thanks CC, I appreciate that. I will definitely give it a read. I'm also interested in anyone who is recluse as I deeply relate.

You're welcome, Meadow.

If you like, you can read the first couple pages of the book through Amazon's "Search this book" feature.
Search inside Catcher in the Rye via Amazon

I just came across a really funny essay about Catcher in the Rye by someone who calls herself "1 Irritated Mother". "Maybe" you will enjoy it too. I have a subscription to Salon and get daily issues. It's free. So if you can't access the page without a subscription, it's not big deal to join. A lot of really good journalism and articles on endless subjects.

Confession, I Hated Catcher in the Rye

RIP

Thanks CC, I'm kind of more on the fence now than I was before after reading your second link, though it was very interesting and funny to read and I enjoyed it a lot. I'm more inclined toward G rated material and also not a big fan of men's psychology, which is what it sort of boils down to, and even less for women's. I missed out on so many books in school, because I wasn't there mainly, which tends to bum me out a little. I've been into nonfiction mostly in the past, but I am getting more interested in the art of writing nowadays which does pertain more to fiction and have read many books in fiction that I really loved but again they were more G rated. Looks like there are a lot of other books here I'd be even more interested in reading:

Lord of the Flies
To Kill a Mockingbird
Of Mice and Men
Scarlet Letter (maybe)
Treasure Island
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Around the World in 80 Days
A Separate Piece ??
Never Cry Wolf
Old Man and the Sea
Ballad of the Sad Cafe'

Just tells me I haven't read enough. I'm leaning away from reading The Catcher in the Rye but I might take a look at some of his other books, don't know. Thanks for those links. Amazon is great. I read that excerpt on amazon on this book before and didn't buy it so I guess I just wasn't that into it. I really hate buying books and then finding for one reason or another I can't really tolerate reading it. I'm a little immature I guess on the kinds of things I want to read which doesn't usually involve sexually explicit or questionable sorts of material for the most part, and crazy people really do bore me to tears.

Thank you CC, the second link was really fun and interesting to read.

Edit: I don't mean to suggest I'm not crazy as the next person. Just not crazy about that kind of thing maybe.

Last edited by Meadow on 29 Jan 2010, 5:11 pm, edited 3 times in total.

Haven't we all? That's why I like Holden. Just like the "nerd" said, Holden is unlikeable in the same way we all are - he's not perfect.



Actually, I think it's like that for most people. Almost everybody I meet these days is sure I have to love shopping or Grey's Anatomy or beer or whatnot. The only significant difference seems to be that aspies like more unusual/less socially acceptable things. By the time I've turned 25 I knew I should keep my mouth shut about what I like - at least in those rare occasions I cared what impression I made. Until then I was absolutely sure everybody would just love Hesse or Victorian silver or even Salinger. I remember a dear friend telling me it's a terrible faux pas to mention Dostoevsky in a social situation - I thought he was adorably witty and sarcastic (which he was) and had no idea that he was also right.

Also thanks for the link, 1 Irritated Mother was fun - honest and with a self deprecating sense of humour - a very rare breed in these days of overly inflated egos. People just take themselves way too seriously and than think I'm a snob because I like Dostoevsky

I have read all Salinger between 1959 and 1961. I became enthusiastic about Salinger and I also wrote a rather long review of the Catcher and the Nine Stories, which was published in a magazine in '61, and was the beginning of a "career" as editor of the publishing house of that magazine. At that time I didn't know anything about ASD. I have alawys lived in great difficulties and only four or five years ago I discovered Asperger and found that I fit totally with the diagnosis. Now that JDS died would like to reread his fiction in the intent to shed some light on the realatioship between JDS and AS. Of course for Holden Caulfield the social world was entirely phoney and this might be attributed to his inability to adapt and compromise. But is compromise the right thing to do? I hope the thread last some time and the matter of the realationship between AS and fiction may be discussed at lenght.
In a book by julie Brown (Jessica Kingsley) Writers on the spectrum (2010. London) various writers (Melville, Dckinson. Lewis Carroll, Donna Williams are examined in the prdprctive of AS.. I hope i will be able to come back on the subject.