Raise High the Roof Beam, CarpentersRaise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters
Score Classic
What it's about
Two novellas about the Glass family, told by the writer Buddy Glass. In the first, Buddy, on leave from the army in 1942, goes to his brother Seymour's wedding in New York, where Seymour fails to show up, and Buddy ends up trapped in a car with angry wedding guests. In the second, written years after Seymour's suicide, Buddy tries to describe his extraordinary brother.
Why it's worth reading
It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. The first story is Salinger at his funniest; the second is a strange, moving portrait of grief.
You'll love it if you liked
The Catcher in the Rye
The Stories of John Cheever
Franny and ZooeyGood to know
The second novella, Seymour: An Introduction, is rambling and digressive on purpose. Reading Franny and Zooey and Nine Stories first helps.
By the numbers
- Readers64 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller52 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #128 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #339 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1127 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
More by J. D. Salinger
The Catcher in the RyeFranny and ZooeyIf you like this, read next
Gone with the Wind
The Color Purple
The Caine Mutiny
East of Eden
I, Claudius
A Room of One's OwnExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters worth reading?
Yes. It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. It ranks #1,127 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 71.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters about?
Two novellas about the Glass family, told by the writer Buddy Glass. In the first, Buddy, on leave from the army in 1942, goes to his brother Seymour's wedding in New York, where Seymour fails to show up, and Buddy ends up trapped in a car with angry wedding guests. In the second, written years after Seymour's suicide, Buddy tries to describe his extraordinary brother.
How long does it take to read Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters?
About 3 hours (138 pages), or about 6 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters?
If you liked it, try The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger, The Stories of John Cheever by John Cheever or Franny and Zooey by J. D. Salinger.