The Catcher in the RyeThe Catcher in the Rye
Score Classic
What it's about
Sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield has just been kicked out of his prep school, again. Instead of going home, he spends a few days wandering New York City before Christmas, drinking in bars, meeting old friends and strangers, and trying to avoid facing his parents, while everyone seems 'phony' to him except his little sister Phoebe and his dead brother Allie.
Why it's worth reading
It's one of the best-selling novels ever and is on both the TIME and Modern Library lists of the best novels. Holden's voice is one of the most famous in American fiction.
You'll love it if you liked
The Outsiders
The Great Gatsby
A Confederacy of DuncesGood to know
Holden is a hard narrator for some readers, and many love it most as teenagers. It's short.
By the numbers
- Readers11 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics92 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller85 out of 100 · counts 14%
- 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
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking
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Quick answers
Is The Catcher in the Rye worth reading?
Yes. It's one of the best-selling novels ever and is on both the TIME and Modern Library lists of the best novels. It ranks #952 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 73.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Catcher in the Rye about?
Sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield has just been kicked out of his prep school, again. Instead of going home, he spends a few days wandering New York City before Christmas, drinking in bars, meeting old friends and strangers, and trying to avoid facing his parents, while everyone seems 'phony' to him except his little sister Phoebe and his dead brother Allie.
How long does it take to read The Catcher in the Rye?
About 7 hours (277 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Catcher in the Rye?
If you liked it, try The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald or A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.