Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger - The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by J. D. Salinger. First published in the United States in 1951, the novel remains controversial to this day due to its liberal profanity and portrayal of sexuality and teenage angst; it was the thirteenth most frequently challenged book of the 1990s, according to the American Library Association.[1] Despite this censorship, or perhaps because of it, the novel has become one of the most famous literary works of the 20th century, and a common part of high-school curricula in many Western, English-speaking countries, such as the United States, Canada, Great Britain and Australia. The book's protagonist, Holden Caulfield, has become an icon for teenage alienation and fear. Written in the first person, The Catcher in the Rye relates Holden's experiences in New York City in the days following his expulsion from a University-preparatory school Pencey Prep.