I read Catcher in the Rye, under duress, when I was about 14. It was summer reading. We had to read 4 boy comming-of-age books that summer. I got back to school and was asked to write about my summer reading assignemtns, and all I could think to say about it was that I couldn't identify in the least with the protagnonist. Yes, I said protagonist. I was a nerdy 14.
What got me the most was that my dad, who had read the book in his early 20s, kept telling me how great it was, all a big adventure story. (I HATED adventure.) I finally handed him the book and he re-read it. He looked at me and said, "I didn't remember how depressing it was!"
I am forever indebted to the book for one reason, though. I brought it and nothing else to my grandparent's house that summer, hoping that by not bringing a whole pile of desired books, I could force myself to read it. Looking at Holden Caulfield next to a stack of my grandmother's mysteries, a genre I'd hithertobefore eschewed, the mysteries started suddenly looking much better by comparison. Now I adore mysteries. But I still can't find anything with which to identify with Holden Caufield, at least as I remember him from 14. Maybe someday?
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2005-11-27 12:17 am (UTC)What got me the most was that my dad, who had read the book in his early 20s, kept telling me how great it was, all a big adventure story. (I HATED adventure.) I finally handed him the book and he re-read it. He looked at me and said, "I didn't remember how depressing it was!"
I am forever indebted to the book for one reason, though. I brought it and nothing else to my grandparent's house that summer, hoping that by not bringing a whole pile of desired books, I could force myself to read it. Looking at Holden Caulfield next to a stack of my grandmother's mysteries, a genre I'd hithertobefore eschewed, the mysteries started suddenly looking much better by comparison. Now I adore mysteries. But I still can't find anything with which to identify with Holden Caufield, at least as I remember him from 14. Maybe someday?