Catch the works of J.D. Salinger

There is no time more perfect than college to fall in love with the works of J.D. Salinger. He creates a world in which the uncertainty that almost everyone between the ages of 16 and 24 could relate to. The reclusive author is much more than a one-hit wonder. He is the author of the much praised "The Catcher in the Rye," "Franny and Zooey," "Raise High the Roof Beam Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction" and a collection of short stories entitled "Nine Stories."

Salinger has a gift for creating characters that seem to capture the spirit of an entire group of people. Holden Caulfield, Salinger's most famous protagonist, is the embodiment of youthful angst. His adventures after being expelled from boarding school are reminiscent of any number of college road trips.

For the religiously inclined reader, "Franny and Zooey" offers two characters raised on eastern philosophy, who struggle to make sense of their lives. The strongest tales of "Nine Stories" are "A Perfect Day for Bananafish," "For Esme: with Love and Squalor," and "Teddy." "Raise High-" is the weakest of the bunch, but features two character studies of Salinger's lesser known hero, Seymour Glass.

Salinger's influence currently pervades modern literature and has spread to the cinematic world in the work of Wes Anderson. A tip for real fans: Salinger published 22 other short stories that are almost impossible to find, but the effort to find them is more than worth it for the die-hard fan.

â€" Written by Jeff Renfro