In a message dated 9/15/99 8:54:38 PM Eastern Daylight Time, verona_beach@hotpop.com writes: << To my mind, Salinger's reader-selecting has grown and grown over the years until we reach Hapworth 16 which, by its sheer length alone is a work that says `I dare you to make it through this!' - not to mention everything that follows, which we haven't seen because Salinger has apparently decided that *none* of us Get It. So I think that your instincts are similar to mine. There is just something unsatisfying and - yes - phoney about explaining away Holden as a condition rather than a human being with all the shades of grey intact. Camille >> I don't completely believe this theory, but I Can Sure See Why You'd think that :) Jim