A Reader's Companion to J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye - Softcover

"'That is so last century!' today's readers and teachers may exclaim as they begin The Catcher in the Rye, the 1951 classic by J. D. Salinger. Fortunately, Peter G. Beidler has decoded the cultural information that packs the novel.... A valuable tool for twenty-first century readers. Although now retired from Lehigh University's Department of English, Peter G. Beidler continues to serve the reading community." - Geraldine A. Richards, ForeWord Digital Reviews

"For those of us who have not read or taught The Catcher in the Rye for at least a decade or two, Peter G. Beidler's A Reader's Companion to J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye (second edition), offers the breadth and detail of a gripping, if not nostalgic, documentary about The Catcher and its maker. For those American students in the second millennium who are assigned this book in their high school or college English courses - or who will read it for the first time out of their own literary curiosity - Beidler's book will prove to be a time capsule that will illuminate the world of their grandfathers." - Joel Salzberg, Emeritus Professor of English, University of Colorado at Denver

"With a clear presentation of copious facts and insights, accompanied by a wide array of photographs, Professor Beidler's indispensable book enhances the reader's understanding and appreciation of Salinger's landmark novel." --Bruce F. Mueller, co-author, Critical Companion to J. D. Salinger: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work (Facts on File, 2011)

This second edition of Peter G. Beidler's Readers Companion builds on the success of the first edition. It will be an indispensable guide for teachers, students, and general readers who want fully to appreciate Salinger's perennial bestseller. Now six decades old, The Catcher in the Rye contains references to people, places, books, movies, and historical events that will puzzle many twenty-first century readers. This edition includes a new section on reactions to Salinger's death in January, 2010. Beidler provides some 250 explanations to help readers make sense of the culture through which Holden Caulfield stumbles as he comes of age. He provides a map showing the various stops in Holden's Manhattan odyssey. Of particular interest to readers whose native language is not English is his glossary of more than a hundred terms, phrases, and slang expressions. In his introductory essay, "Catching The Catcher in the Rye," Beidler discusses such topics as the three-day time line for the novel, the way the novel grew out of two earlier-published short stories, the extent to which the novel is autobiographical, what Holden looks like, and the reasons for the enduring appeal of the novel. The many photographs in the Reader's Companion give fascinating glimpses into the world that Holden has made famous. Beidler also provides discussion of some of the issues that have engaged scholars down through the years: the meaning of Holden's red hunting hat, whether Holden writes his novel in an insane asylum, Mr. Antolini's troubling actions, and Holden's close relationship with his sister and his two brothers.