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The Catcher in the Rye. Since it’s publication in 1951, it has become an iconic work of American literature. In its gritty idiomatic style, it has captured the imagination of generations of disaffected young boys. But is there something more to the novel than young teenage angst? Today on the program we explore the appearance of this book in the assassination of John Lennon and the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan. We also explore the real roots of Holden Caufield’s angst in childhood sexual abuse.

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WORKS CITED:

J.D. Salinger Wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._D._Salinger

Mark David Chapman interview on Larry King Live
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaUe5rCO6xU

Jack Blood and guests discuss Lennon assassination
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb6qgvXFJ-c

Episode 220 – The Strange Case of Sirhan Sirhan
http://www.corbettreport.com/episode-220-the-strange-case-of-sirhan-sirhan/

Is The Catcher in the Rye a Mechanism of Control?
http://www.whale.to/b/gorl.html

Stefan Molyneux reviews Catcher in the Rye
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivJrxaSYmwI

JD Salinger’s secret life exposed in new documentary
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/may/18/jd-salinger-secret-life-exposed-documentary

Next month: Enemy of the State