Catcher in the Rye - Writers Forum

Neo · 01-19-2007, 04:38 PM

Worst. Book. Ever.

Salinger should, by rights, be either dead or in hiding after writing this useless peice of rubbish.
Written in what I imagine was, in 1946, common speach, and even then a very bad excuse for it, the book centres round a dumb, backward degenerate who decides he's outside society and enmbarks on a cringe-enducing escapade of...well...I'm not sure...
His pathetic attempts to chat up women, with promises of "cocktails," "dancing" and "dinner" are trumped only by the sheer boredom and uselessness of the pages and pages of drivel.
How many trees died so that this book could exist?

Yamato145 · 01-21-2007, 08:30 AM

Catcher In The Rye is the biggest influence on my own writing style, it is an excellent book.
Oh an "speach" is spelled speech.
perhaps huked on fonix didn't work for you?
-YAMZ

Neo · 01-21-2007, 08:40 AM

Hey..I did spell speech wrong. Huh.

Huked on fonix? That's a book, right?

tablemanners · 01-21-2007, 12:55 PM

Also, just to be anal, it's inducing, not enducing, and embark, not enmbark.

But that's not why I'm posting. Everyone has a right to their opinion, and I respect yours, but I've got to disagree. I mean, you seem to be branding the character boring and stupid because of his pathetic attempts to pick up women. Do you think a character has to look and act like Brad Pitt to be interesting?

strangedaze · 01-21-2007, 05:10 PM

jd salinger is in hiding, actually.

and to be honest, i didnt like catcher, but im in love with his Glass cycle of stories.

Mike C · 01-22-2007, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strangedaze

and to be honest, i didnt like catcher, but im in love with his Glass cycle of stories.

I loved Catcher. But the Glass stories were better. Bananafish is probably the most moving.

gingerpower · 01-22-2007, 07:45 PM

Anyone who doesnt like Jd Salinger should be fed to a wood chipper

dont bother correcting my spelling i no it sucks

Neo · 01-23-2007, 12:18 PM

I was a bit harsh, but I am adamand that it is a total peice of crap. See, now I am seeing the grammatical mistakes in my own writing. Darn.

Sock · 01-23-2007, 03:22 PM

No book has been able to capture teen angst and coming of age better (and believe me MANY have tried). The topic of coming of age and/or teen angst has gained incredible popularity in film, literature and music, all because of The Catcher in the Rye. And guess what? They all are just copies of The Catcher in the Rye, and pathetic ones at that. The book is very accurate always contemporary and very moving, it focuses on real pain and confusion, rather than glamorizing it as all of its copies seem to do. It is a window into Salinger's soul and he shares the same emotion and voice as Holden, and his passion for the subject truly shows. Anyone who went through the feelings of unimportance and unworthiness, depression, social and sexual frustration or antisocial tendencies has read the Catcher in the Rye and gotten something from it.

For its time it was very fresh and controversial. Young people everywhere were given a piece of literature that was aimed at them while not telling them what to do, or how to feel. It was uncensored, rude and anti-conformist: the voice of its generation and many generations to come.

riversource · 01-23-2007, 03:32 PM

I really love this book, my favourite piece of Salinger's though is For Esme with Love and Squalor. Perfection.

Mike C · 01-23-2007, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neo

I was a bit harsh, but I am adamand that it is a total peice of crap.

Just as I am adamant that you're an idiot who shouldn't be allowed books unless they have short words and nice colourful pictures.

Catcher is the most banned book ever in the US, so it can't be that bad. I mean, Jesus, maybe you should just try to read the goddam thing in context.

Raging_Hopeful · 01-23-2007, 05:44 PM

Whew. Criticize a classic and they burn ya.

I... liked the book but I didn't LOVE the book. There were parts of it that were wonderful but parts of it felt a little dry for me. But it's all personal preference really...

But when it comes to influence, yes, Catcher in the Rye was a pivotal moment in literature, sending a ripple through the generations. They become classics for a reason.

However, I do think its silly for people to get up in arms over what books they liked and attacking people's spelling just because you're mad they didn't like your book? Silly silly.

Raging_Hopeful · 01-23-2007, 05:46 PM

Not that I'm excusing poor spelling...

Mike C · 01-24-2007, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raging_Hopeful

Not that I'm excusing poor spelling...

I should hope not. We burn heretics 'round these here parts, missy...'

But seriously, anyone who writes off a classic by one of the great American writers as 'a total peice of crap' really just doesn't deserve kind words, especially when their posts suggest they are only semi-literate. You can love it, you can hate it, but having the vocabulary to be able to explain why is mandatory unless Neo wants to make himself look wilfully ignorant.

Yamato145 · 01-24-2007, 01:49 AM

I know we're on the same side Mike but you made the same mistake as Neo, it's piece not peice ... remember? I before E except after C lol.
-YAMZ