After 16 year old Holden Caufield is expelled from Pencey Prep, he decides to spend his days exploring New York City. Holden’s outlook on life is so simple and beautifully complicated at the same time. He believes everyone around him to be phonies, other than his kid sister, Phoebe, of course. The novel follows Holden and his pessimistic attitude as he sneaks through the city, wandering through Central Park, having conversations with strangers, meeting women at dive hotels and trying to navigate the loneliness that comes with being surrounded by so many people. Salinger explores the idea of childhood innocence and how daunting it can be to watch yourself and those around you enter adulthood, and all the trials and tribulations that come with it. I would recommend this book to anyone 16 and up who is interested in reading a “classic” that is set in the more modern era. Overall, it’s a fantastic read and leaves readers with a long lasting impression on the main character, Holden, and Salinger’s amazing abilities as a writer.