The Catcher In the Rye

I know I normally write a little about my books and what is happening to me but I happened upon a discussion tonight that was deriding "The Catcher in the Rye" and so apologies in advance to all those that did not like "Catcher in the Rye" as I loved it. I have read many better books since that wondrous novel was first sat in front of me but at the time I found it a revelation. Clever, interesting, compelling and most of all thought provoking. Often I would finish reading a section and think about what I had read for a far longer period than the reading involved. Since this book was written the world has moved on, disassociation, dislocation and a feeling of not belonging were almost the byword of the eighties and nineties and so it does not have the intrinsic "Hit" that it had when I first read it but that does not remove it from the cannon of "Great Books" rather making it an originating novel that many others have enjoyed, followed and updated along the way. Many novelists have taken snippets and ideas from "Catcher" and expanded upon the theme and some have even surpassed their teacher, in my humble opinion but that does not diminish the original. Of course, I understand that everyone has their own tastes, ideals and loves in storytelling but this was once and in my opinion, still remains, a truly "Great" Novel. I would recommend it to all readers.