Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Disappointed? Well...

As I mentioned in a previous post, reading books off of Time's 100 best English Language books is one of my New Years resolutions. The Catcher in the Rye is number 64 or 65, I don't remember which. What were my preconceptions going in? I don't know. Something shocking, certainly. For some reason, murder, probably because the only references to the book I'd heard before were in regards to a serial killer. Was I shocked? No. Was there murder? No. Was there suspense? No. Well, shit. It's about a pricky little douche who's just been expelled, yet again, from a prep school. I've since learned its controversy is in the use of the words"fuck" and "goddam", as well as a prostitution scene (in which no sex takes place), smoking, drinking, and rebellion. And I suppose for the time in which it was written, it was shocking, all things considered, but should it remain the center of such controversy? I think not. Sure, it's an all right book. I see why my high school English teachers taught Brave New World (also on the top 100 list) and Animal Farm (ditto), and not The Catcher in the Rye. Sure, I'm glad I read it.

Meh...whatever. It's not on my top 100 list.

Next up...Catch 22.

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