Michael -

I agree - if I HAD to read the book in school, then it would have been a royal pain! The book was a phenomenon of its time - word of mouth first, hype second, rotten movie third. A quick read with feel good, perhaps freeing thoughts, yes IN ITS DAY!

Simplistic as it was/is (with or without seagull pics), it moved a lot of people who needed simplicity. It served as the prototype for a bunch more books, like the one about the lady who allegedly traveled with aborigines in the 80's, or the "Don't Sweat the Small _____" books, or even the vaunted Chicken Soup series.

Trivial and inconsequential to some, life changing to others. But fit for required reading in school - IMHO, absolutely not - and I did enjoy Catcher in The Rye at age 14 precisely because it was NOT prescribed reading. Nor was Franny and Zooey!

Just my two pence,

Bob