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comment by OftenBen
OftenBen  ·  2854 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Books you just couldn't fucking get into?

I refuse to read Catcher in the Rye on principle at this point.

I don't think I've ever heard anyone say anything pleasant about the book.

I give up on a lot of sci-fi and fantasy rather quickly if the universe isn't engaging/ is obviously a ripoff of something else.

Why does every sci-fi author feel the need to turn their space-opera or space-western into Starcraft tropes?





b_b  ·  2854 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    I don't think I've ever heard anyone say anything pleasant about the book.

This is impossible. Do you hang out exclusively with morons?

OftenBen  ·  2854 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I hear words like 'deep' and 'important' not 'enjoyable.'

illu45  ·  2851 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    I refuse to read Catcher in the Rye on principle at this point.

I think that enjoyment of Catcher in the Rye is somewhat specific to the age group (and maybe even generation) of the reader. It's often assigned in high school because many (though certainly not all) teenagers find that the text is able to explore anxieties and drives that they have themselves. As a result, it often comes up on lists of books you "have" to read or lists of books that "will change your life". As I got older, I found it hard to not see the protagonist as an entitled prick. It's been quite a few years since I've attempted to re-read it, though.

mk  ·  2854 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Catcher in the Rye is a fantastic book, abused by high schools across the nation.

Read his Nine Stories as a primer. Franny and Zooey is better than Catcher, IMO, but you need to be digging Salinger's shtick in the first place.

kleinbl00  ·  2854 days ago  ·  link  ·