Letter: Criticized book dares tell the truth of teenage life

At age 66, I finally have read a book that some folks have been trying to censor for the last half of our century. In fact, I bought the book a few years ago to find out why it bothered so many people.

By coincidence, I've finished reading it just as our country claims to be sobered by the spate of school shootings. The book provides an insight into the feelings and thought process (or lack of thought process) of a 16-year-old boy.

The boy in the book was becoming destructive toward himself. I do not presume to know why other boys find the need to be destructive to others, as is happening in the school shootings.

I believe this book offends some people because it describes, with painful honesty, the transition from being a child to having to cope with modern society as an adult. It takes guts to read, with an open heart, "The Catcher in the Rye" by J. D. Salinger.

However, I intend to re-read it on an annual basis to remind myself of the pain of losing the innocence of youth.

I am told that the author did one other thing besides write a great book -- he left instructions against making it into a movie. That reserves the book for those who are willing to bring the residue of their own youth into play.

Eugenie Throckmorton

archive