I’m beginning to fear that someday I’ll end up reading ‘Catcher in the Rye’

A stack of the book sits on a table at Barnes and Noble, under an optimistic sign that labels Catcher and some other novels and nonfiction as “Your Summer Reading Projects.”

I don’t want too. I’ve barely read enough westerns to claim any significant knowledge of the genre outside of Elmer Kelton and that ass-clown genius Larry McMurtry. There’s got to be some more decent, likable fantasy out there, my list of must-read military books keeps growing, and I’ve been wanting to bone up on my knowledge of Native American mythology.

And everybody says Catcher is a horrible book. I’ve heard and seen about a thousand references to how it’s a horrible book. But that’s just it -- EVERYBODY says Catcher is a horrible book. Reading and dismissing it is like some intellectual cool guy patch. You get to be one of those people making sharp comments on TV and in the movies -- disdaining a masterpiece no one has called a masterpiece since boater hats were in.

Despite all the references I still remain unclear on the plot details – something about a snarky adolescent who does nothing yet becomes slightly less of a bastard. I don’t get why anybody would read it, when the primary adjectives about it are “boring”, “pretentious” and “indulgent.” Are other people able to read a book like their personal MST3K episode, throwing in enough jokes and insults to make the whole thing bearable?

I don’t get it.

I know it’s there at Barnes and Noble.

Waiting.

Anyway.

I declare this blog re-opened.