The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

In this episode, Steven and Alex explore one of the most iconic American novels of the 20th Century, J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. Some of the themes include: Is this novel fundamentally a portrayal of teenage angst, or is Holden a more complicated character than an alienated youth?; Why is Holden so preoccupied with accusing most people as being 'phonies', especially when he recognises his own duplicities?; What is the significance of the role of Catcher in the Rye for Holden and for the novel itself?; While Holden ends up in an institution, is it possible that it is the society that he belongs to that is more 'unwell'?; Is this novel a coming-of-age tale or if not, what does that mean about the story?

Further Resources:

- A copy of the novel can be bought at Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Catcher-Rye-J-D-Salinger-ebook/dp/B07W5FQLDP/ref=sr_1_1?Adv-Srch-Books-Submit.x=0&Adv-Srch-Books-Submit.y=0&__mk_en_GB=%C3%85M%C3%85Z%C3%95%C3%91&qid=1642680367&refinements=p_28%3Athe+catcher+in+the+rye&s=books&sr=1-1&unfiltered=1

- If you want to explore how great thinkers like Kant, Heidegger and Kierkegaard would've have reacted to Holden's tale, the book Cather in the Rye and Philosophy is a good collection of essays: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Catcher-Rye-Philosophy-Bastards-Popular/dp/0812698002/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1ZOH6CFHHJS3F&keywords=the+catcher+in+the+rye+and+philosophy&qid=1642680393&s=books&sprefix=the+catcher+in+the+rye+and+philosophy%2Cstripbooks%2C102&sr=1-1

- The reclusive author was not an easy subject for a biographer to 'catch' but one of the most sympathetic biographies is Kenneth Slawenski's work: https://www.amazon.co.uk/J-D-Salinger-Kenneth-Slawenski/dp/1400069513/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2TFWCFSORS5HX&keywords=jd+salinger+kenneth&qid=1642680522&s=books&sprefix=jd+salinger+kenneth%2Cstripbooks%2C82&sr=1-1

- The author's son gave a recent interview about his father: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2iYrFGeT3s

- The filmmaker John Hughes has been called a J.D. Salinger for the eighties. Here is a collection of his movies and a book that analyses them: https://www.amazon.co.uk/John-Hughes-5-Movie-Collection-DVD/dp/B082PQTRCY/ref=sr_1_3?crid=9ELT7Z33RFJL&keywords=john+hughes+collection&qid=1642681158&s=dvd&sprefix=john+hughes+collection%2Cdvd%2C108&sr=1-3 and https://www.amazon.co.uk/John-Hughes-Eighties-Cinema-American/dp/186171436X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=Y45Q0W9RQM2D&keywords=john+hughes&qid=1642681018&s=books&sprefix=john+hughes%2Cstripbooks%2C96&sr=1-1