Reviewed by Monique Prince, Undergraduate Services Librarian
October 16-22 is Teen Read Week, so what better book to recommend than The Catcher in the Rye, widely considered to be the quintessential American coming-of-age novel. It is narrated by Holden Caufield, a teenager who gets expelled from a prep school and spends a couple days in New York City deciding what do to next. Throughout the novel, his cynicism contrasts with his strong desire to hold onto the innocence of childhood for himself and others—the loss of which results in "phony" adulthood. His concern is evident in the way he acts protective towards his younger sister and childhood friend, as well as the symbolism of the title itself; he wants to be someone who protects children from falling over a cliff into adulthood (a catcher in a rye field, drawing from the song lyric "If a body meet a body, comin' through the rye"). This resistance to leaving youth is surprising since Holden's own childhood was far from idyllic—he is still trying to cope with the loss of his brother to leukemia and his parents' emotional distance. The Catcher in the Rye is a classic with a lot of depth, but it is also a quick read. Even if you read this one in high school, it is worth another look; your own perspective and life experiences will color your impression of this book in a different way each time you read it.
