July 16, 1951: Catcher in the Rye Published
On this day in 1951, J.D. Salinger’s classic novel, The Catcher in the Rye, was published. The novel, which was about troubled 16-year-old Holden Caulfield, exemplified common feelings of teenage angst and a resistance to growing up. Since it was published, The Catcher in the Rye has been linked to issues of controversy and censorship, and even high-profile crimes like the murder of John Lennon.
In honor of J.D. Salinger’s death in 2010, PBS NewsHour’s Jim Lehrer talks to experts about the author’s lasting influence on American literature.
Fitting, then, that I just started re-reading this a few days ago. :)