Salinger, J. D.

The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, & Co., 1951

8vo. Publisher's gilt-stamped black cloth. Original first issue dust-jacket printed in red, black and yellow with cropped photograph of Salinger on rear cover, flap priced at $3.00; edges of rear panel very slightly creased, one short closed tear at top of rear spine fold and a trace of rubbing to one corner of front panel, but the paper is crisp and colors unfaded.  In a cloth folding case.

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First edition of Salinger’s first book, a landmark in post-war American literature. The Book-Of-The-Month Club picked up The Catcher in the Rye just after it was set in galleys. Salinger, ever averse to publicity of any sort, felt the portrait photo on the back cover was too big. He later lobbied to have the photograph removed, and it has not been reprinted since.

Salinger worked on Catcher, chronicling Holden Caulfield’s escape from Pencey Prep—reportedly modeled on the Valley Forge Military Academy Salinger himself attended—into his personal New York City underground, on and off for ten years. It was finally published to mixed reviews, which praised Salinger’s brilliance and insight but condemned the pervasiveness of obscenities in the novel.

A bright copy of this contemporary classic, which continues to cause controversy in some school districts to this day.