The icon who disappeared. Raised in Park Avenue privilege, J. D. Salinger sought out combat, surviving five bloody battles of World War II and the liberation of a death camp, and out of that crucible he created a novel, The Catcher in the Rye, which journeyed deep into his own despair and redefined postwar America. For more than fifty years, Salinger has been one of the most elusive figures in American history. All of the attempts to uncover the truth...

Includes a brief biography of the author, thematic and structural analysis of the work, critical views, and an index of themes and ideas.

Presents a guide to the American novelist, including a chronology of his life, descriptions of the important personalities and issues of his day, and entries on his works with discussions on plots, characters, language, and major themes.

Sanford Pinsker's reading of the Catcher in the Rye goes through the novel chronologically, in a manner perfectly conducive to side-by-side reading, and provides helpful chapters on historical background and critical reception.

"He published his only novel more than fifty years ago. He has hardly been seen or heard from since 1965. Most writers fitting such a description are long forgotten, but if the novel is The Catcher in the Rye and the writer is J.D. Salinger...well, he's the stuff of legends, the most famously reclusive writer of the twentieth century. If you could write to him, what would you say?" "Salinger continues to maintain his silence, but Holden Caulfield,...

Contemporary perspectives on depression. Provides background on the life of author J.D. Salinger and the influences that shaped his work, features twelve articles that explore depression as portrayed in his novel "The Catcher in the Rye," and examines issues of depression in the twenty-first century.

Discusses the novel, "The Catcher in the Rye", including the life of J.D. Salinger, and the novel's cast of characters and themes.

Contemporary perspectives on depression. Provides background on the life of author J.D. Salinger and the influences that shaped his work, features twelve articles that explore depression as portrayed in his novel "The Catcher in the Rye," and examines issues of depression in the twenty-first century.