Where to start reading J. D. Salinger’s books

J. D. Salinger published four books in total: one novel, The Catcher in the Rye (1951), one short story collection, For Esmé – With Love And Squalor (1953), and two books comprising novellas and short stories, Franny & Zooey (1961) and Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters; Seymour - an Introduction (1963)

Salinger is most famous for his 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye, which is widely regarded as a must-read classic. Its enduring legacy is, in part, that it distilled the experience of adolescence and teenage alienation, at a time when the teenager was a nascent concept. When The Catcher in the Rye was first released, it was considered controversial due to its foray into mature themes and use of vulgar language, and was banned in many schools.

The Glass family are a fictional family who feature throughout Salinger's short stories and novellas, including the following short stories from For Esmé – With Love And Squalor: A Perfect Day for Bananafish, Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut, The Laughing Man, and Down at the Dinghy. The family are also the focus on Salinger's later books, Franny & Zooey and Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters; Seymour - an Introduction

The Glass family is made up of retired vaudeville performers Les and Bessie (née Gallagher) and their seven children: Seymour, Buddy, Boo Boo, Waker, Walt, Zooey, and Franny.