Facts about The Catcher in the Rye

1. 06

   Approximately 250,000 copies of The Catcher in the Rye were sold in the United States during its first year after publication in 1951.

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2. 05

   Published in 1951, the novel is narrated entirely from a psychiatric facility where Holden is recounting the events of his breakdown.

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3. 04

   Little, Brown and Company initially rejected the manuscript in 1950 before Salinger's agent secured publication through a different publisher, making The Catcher in the Rye's path to print surprisingly circuitous.

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4. 03

   Salinger wrote The Catcher in the Rye over nine years, beginning in 1942 and publishing the final manuscript in 1951 after numerous rejections from publishers.

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5. 02

   Holden Caulfield's first-person narrative spans only three days in December 1949, yet the novel's stream-of-consciousness style makes it feel considerably longer to readers.

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6. 01

   J.D. Salinger's 1951 novel has sold over 3 million copies worldwide despite being frequently challenged and banned in schools for its profanity and sexual references.

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