Love him or hate him, author J.D. Salinger was a legend in his own time. His only full-length novel, The Catcher in the Rye, was published in 1951 and is still a staple in high school literature classes everywhere, while simultaneously holding the distinction of one of the most banned novels in the U.S. for what many deemed excessive profanity and a "loose moral example."
Mr. Salinger died on January 27th. His influence on American literature and angst-ridden teenagers everywhere cannot be overestimated. No matter what the book's literary merits, there can be no doubt that The Catcher in the Rye introduced countless teens to the pleasure of reading a book. For that, book lovers everywhere can be grateful.
Now if you're anything like us, the last time you picked up a copy of The Catcher in the Rye was in your freshman English class. A Reader's Respite is of the opinion that a group read (or re-read, as the case may be) of this classic novel is a fitting way to say goodbye to Mr. Salinger.
How to participate?
1. Find yourself a copy of The Catcher in the Rye. Preferably, your old copy from high school. But if you don't feel like digging through boxes in the attic, you can alternatively steal a copy from your teenager, borrow one from your library, or find a reasonably priced copy at your local used bookstore. The key here is that the novel should be beat up with teenage-notes written in the margins.
2. Leave a comment here expressing your interest in participation.
3. Circle February 20th on your calendar and head back here that day to start the discussion. This gives you the entire month of February to track down a copy and read this short-ish (just shy of 300 pages) novel.
4. Grab the Salinger Tribute button from our sidebar.
5. Tweet this! The more participants we have, the more fitting the tribute to a great author!