Day 164 - Catcher in the Rye

As a Christmas present, my step-mum (step-mom depending on where you are reading this from) very kindly bought me the American classic, Catcher in the Rye. I've never really been a big reader of fiction but thought I would give this one a go. Although I was aware of the name, I did not know what it was about. At all.

Overall thoughts. Brilliant! I will be honest though, it did help that it was based in New York and I could relate to many of the places that 'goddamn Holden Caulfield' spoke about. I was also impressed at how Holden, aged 17, had such a strong perception on the world. However, his self proclaimed superiority, that isolated him from the 'phoney's', I feel was partly the reason he was so lonely. I have been told a few times in my life that I should not rush growing up. Maybe Holden needed this advice as well. I mean sitting in high end NY bars, drinking with older women cannot be all that for a 17 year old! Ahem.

I was curious to see if Salinger wrote a sequel to this classic. He did not. Someone else has though, John David California to be precise. Salinger and his estate tried to ban its publication (I believe it is still banned in the states) due to intellectual property infringement. I am deliberating whether to invest and have my own thoughts of what Holden grew up to be clouded by a Salinger wannabe. Your thoughts as to whether you would, already have or are staying far away from '60 Years Later: Caught in the Rye', would most certainly be welcomed to help me make my mind up as to whether I should buy it or not?