J.D. Salinger

On Wednesday, author J.D. Salinger died at 91 years old.

He left behind a smattering of works, including the famous Catcher in the Rye.

Catcher, a controversial, critically acclaimed, "life changing" story, only reached my skeptical hands a mere month ago.

My father, who reminisced frequently upon his teenhood, did not hesitate in recalling his experiences with book. Catcher was his bible. He carried it around in his back pocket for years, it never left his side. He read from it so often the pages were worn, ripped and torn. That book held meaning in his life when he was young.

I can't say that the book left the same lasting impression upon me. Of course, I'm not a teenage boy, so that could have something to do with it. That's not to say that the book didn't affect me, because it certainly did. Just not in the "OMG my life's about to change forever," kind of way.

Quite frankly, when I read the book, I was slightly disappointed. All this hype surrounding a book which I found to be missing some the most basic elements in writing fiction. This was a story with no plot, no climax, no end. I felt like the whole book was just J.D. Salinger complaining, and when he ran out of things to say, he just...stopped.

That being said, the book does have a certain charm to it. It sneaks into your heart the same way every teenager in your life does. Through wit, humor, and just a tad of smart ass. The sarcasm and negativity of the narrator, Holden Caulfield, somehow manages to do just the opposite of what he intends. Instead of pushing everyone away, it pulls everyone in. The risque content of the piece for its time adds to the overall interest in the book.

But none of this captured my attention while reading Catcher. In fact, it wasn't until the last four pages of the novel that I was interested in the novel at all. I won't give away the ending in case anyone out there hasn't read the book, but I will say that the significance of the golden ring really got to me. It stuck with me, and taught me something.

And for that, J.D. Salinger (or your ghost rather) I'd like to thank you.
Thank you for teaching me to always have that childhood determination never to give up.
I may not keep you in the back pocket of my jeans, or even on my book shelf, but your lesson will always be in my mind, and in my heart.