Odd book, this one. It's a "classic", although whether this became true before or after it became famous for being in the pocket of American serial killers whilst they were on gun rampages I am not certain. Despite the fact that it was banned for much of its existence, I got the feeling that because it is an interesting portrayal of American youth, it should perhaps be distributed liberally among high school English classes as an example of disaffected youth (which we all know high school students just love to read about).
I read it while I was writing my own novel, and since they're both first-person narratives involving someone talking to someone else, I approved of the style and probably hijacked the thought patterns to make Dalent's own stream of conciousness ramblings. While I still appreciate regular-type God's-eye-view novels (they certainly can be more artfully constructed), the more I read the more I come to realize that first-person perspective is really the only perspective I can really buy into, and think my reading is tending more and more into that direction at the moment.
Plotwise, there's not a lot going on: 'Teenager wanders about New York city thinking about things' would pretty much sum it up. I mean he does stuff, but nothing particularly interesting- it's more interesting just to read the ebb and flow of his thoughts. Although not, I should say, absorbing- I didn't find it to be that great a novel.
There's this song that goes:
I'm afraid of people who like Catcher in the Rye
Yeah, I like it too, but someone tell me why
People he'd despise say: 'I feel like that guy'
Which is, oddly, kind of the opposite of the reason I think I didn't really get into the book. I just didn't really like Holden (the teenager) enough to care about his fate. I mean, you can't really blame me, even he didn't like himself enough to care about his fate. He had admirable traits, and had some good thoughts, but they were all so adrift in this sea of misanthropy that I found it difficult to warm to him, which made it difficult to warm to the book...which makes me wonder why it achieved such a lofty status.
This is a 
I've always hated 'Catcher in the Rye' ever since I did it in school. I know that's a biased opinion, as most people hate the books/plays/etc they did in school (maybe you didn't though Dan), but there it is. It's a nothing book, it doesn't really go anywhere or do anything, ergo facto, it sucks. I know there are lots of books that don't go anywhere o do anything either, but they're either funny or the rambling thoughts are more interesting. This is neither.
'The Trusted Professions' is a far more worthy tome in my opinion. :-)
Interestingly, thirty years after its publication in 1945-46, The Catcher in the Rye was both the most banned book in America, as well as the second most taught book in public schools.
The most taught book in public schools?! Are teachers that sadistic? I dunno why it was banned either, apart from the serial killer link.
Premarital sex? Drinking?!?! Offensive language?!! OMG!!!
I am so glad we've moved on so much since the 50's and 60's...
I think The Catcher get's it's acclaim from the fact that it gave a voice to youth in America, and talked about their issues which, at the time of it's publication, where largely being ignored and avoided. And it did it through the narrative of a normal kid, rather than some wacked out off the rails freak. Although Holden is a tacked out of joint if you ask me.
By todays standards it's tame so perhaps we don't evaluate in the same way.