Catcher in the rye worth the read

Yes. But I do stress you really need to put it into proper context and after you finish it do a little reading about it.

I am not surprised.

I agree that Catcher in the Rye is just not worth the bother, even if it is short.

Hemingway, as mentioned, has some good short reads. Michael Crichton is modern, easy-to-read, and interesting. I'm an essay guy myself. They aren't too much of an investment in time and you can browse through a variety of topics.

It's a fairly easy read for someone trying to get into reading. The story is at least somewhat interesting and engaging, despite the main character being awful.

FWIW, I really liked it in high school when I first read it. I read it again several years later and hated it.

Catcher is OK and worth reading, but not the best.
For 20th Century classics, some good ones to start are:
- Catch-22
- The Great Gatsby
- Slaughterhouse Five
- 1984
- I, Claudius (more interesting than you might think)
- The Sound and the Fury (not a good first book to read if you're just getting into reading, but read it someday)
- Native Son
- Beloved
- All the King's Men (if you're from Louisiana and interested in LA politics)

There's also this list (and other rival lists):
LINK /

If you are trying to get into reading I highly suggest you read for pleasure first. You can throw some classics into the mix but find a genre/author you actually enjoy and reading will become pleasurable and not just fundamental.

Skip it and read Lord of the Flies.

Very easy to read and thought provoking.

Franny and Zooey >>>

It’s fine. Like someone else said, probably better to read for pleasure right now and mix in the classics later. That said, if you want a classic that is a page turner, both the Count of Monte Cristo and the Three Musketeers are books I could not stop reading. Very fun books and considered classics (as they should be).

Bored me