Holden arrives early to meet Sally Hayes, watches girls in the lobby, and realizes he wants to marry her the second she walks in — even though he doesn't even like her. What follows is a date full of cab rides, bad theater, and a guy named George who takes up way too much space in a checkered vest. By the end, Holden hates everyone, including himself, and Sally has a marvelous idea.

Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter — we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us.

Things To Listen For:

Holden's extended meditation on boring guys and the one roommate who was a terrific whistler — and Jennifer losing her mind over the tangent
The moment Holden tells Sally he loves her, admits it's a lie, then says he meant it when he said it
Dan and Jennifer debating whether Sally is a phony or just an uncomfortable girl doing her best
"Every toe in her body" — a Salinger original that breaks both hosts
Dan pointing out that less than seven hours ago, a prostitute and her pimp were beating Holden up — and now he's on a date
Jennifer's mom telling her she didn't really give birth because she had a C-section — during a Macbeth discussion

Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? This chapter captures one of the book's most quietly dangerous ideas: that the line between honest and dishonest isn't a line at all, and a teenager can figure that out in real time. Book banners don't want kids to realize that adults perform sincerity the same way Holden does — they just never admit it.

If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).

Banworthy to Bingeworthy
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Featured Clip: This episode includes short clips from "Girl Watcher" by The O'Kaysions. All rights belong to their respective owners and are used here under fair use for the purpose of cultural commentary and education.

Disclaimer: Banned Camp features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines.

The material used from the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.

This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to J.D. Salinger, his estate, or the publishers of The Catcher in the Rye. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.

Topics Covered: The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, Chapter 17, Holden Caulfield, Sally Hayes, George, Harris McKim, Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne, phoniness, authenticity, love and self-deception, The O'Kaysions, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast