Jerome David Salinger was born in Manhattan, New York, on New Year's Day, 1919. His mother, Marie, was of Scots-Irish descent. His father, Sol Salinger, was a Polish Jew who sold kosher cheese. He had one sibling: his older sister Doris (1911–2001). The young Salinger attended public schools on the West Side of Manhattan, then moved to the private McBurney School for ninth and tenth grade. He acted in several plays and "showed an innate talent for drama", though his father was opposed to the idea of J.D. becoming an actor.
The Catcher in the Rye is a 1951 novel by J. D. Salinger. Originally published for adults, it has since become popular with adolescent readers for its themes of teenage confusion, alienation and rebellion. It has been translated into almost all of the world's major languages. Around 250,000 copies are sold each year, with total sales of more than sixty-five million. The novel's protagonist and antihero, Holden Caulfield, has become an icon for teenage rebellion.
