J. D. Salinger in History of Rock & Roll

J. D. Salinger (1919- ) is an American writer best known for his controversial 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye, which was popular among teens who identified with the disillusioned protagonist Holden Caulfield.

In 1951, J. D. Salinger published The Catcher in the Rye. The novel's main character, Holden Caulfield, became a popular icon for alienated teens seeking to rebel against a society full of "phonies." In 1980, a man named Mark Chapman claimed the book inspired him to murder Beatles singer John Lennon.