SALINGER,'THE CATCHER IN THE RYE', 1951, 1st UK edition

PUBLISHING DETAILS:  True first printing of the first UK edition, published by Hamish Hamilton of London in 1951.  253 pages.  Size; 19 x 13 cms (7.5" x 5").  Weight;  340g (12 ozs). 

CONDITION:  I would rate the book as very good and the dustjacket as very good minus.  The book's original blue cloth covers have some light marking and slight fading to the spine, but are sound overall.  The binding remains tight and secure throughout.  The text is clean, bright and free from foxing, with no inscriptions to the book.  The unclipped dustjacket (price 10s.6d net) is clean and bright, with slight darkening to the spine.  However, there are small chips to the base of the spine and front, a small chipe to the top corner at the back and with a larger (max. 1" or 3 cms) loss at the top of the spine (see photo).  The jacket is now protected in a clear, removable, Brodart sleeve. 

Overall, this is a most attractive first UK edition and a splendid alternative to the US first, which costs upwards of twice the price asked here. 

THE BOOK:  The first-person narrative follows Holden Caulfield's experiences in New York City in the days following his expulsion from Pencey Prep, a fictional college preparatory school in the fictional city of Agerstown, Pennsylvania. 

Originally published for adults, the novel has become a common part of high school and college curricula throughout the English-speaking world;  it has also 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 antihero, Holden Caulfield, has become an icon for teenage rebellion and defiance.  The novel was among the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005 as chosen by Time, and named by Modern Library and its readers as one of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century.

It has been frequently challenged in the United States for its liberal use of profanity and portrayal of sexuality and teenage angst.  (Source: Wikipedia).

A RARE BOOK - A GREAT INVESTMENT