The Fitter, Happier UnLibrarian's Blog of Young Adult Books

by Megan DeTour
LIBR 265-10 Materials for Young Adults
Spring 2009, Professor Wrenn-Estes
Master of Library & Information Science
San Jose State University, California

Franny and Zooey by J.D.Salinger

Franny and Zooey by J.D.Salinger

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Publish Date: January 2001
Page #: 208pp
Reading Level: Adult
Classification: Fiction
Genre: Coming of Age/Classic

Subjects: Family, New York City, Siblings, Spirituality

Annotation:

Franny and Zooey were originally published in the New Yorker magazine as two distinct short stories. J.D. Salinger’s introspective protagonist embarks on a journey of self-discovery through spirituality.

Summary:

J.D. Salinger’s short, two-part novel is the story of sister and brother, Franny and Zooey Glass, the youngest of seven precocious highly intelligent kids who grew up on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Purportedly, Zooey is trying to help Franny, who is in the midst of a breakdown, which soon leads to some clarity that they both have yet to mourn the suicide of their oldest brother Seymour and the related, self-imposed academic exile of their other brother Buddy. The religious education Seymore and Buddy sought fit to bestow on their younger siblings supplements the desired knowledge for spirituality in which Franny and Zooey venture out on a Zen-like quest to be with God in a state of pure consciousness.

Megan says:

A literary classic, Frany and Zooey is written ahead of its time. It is an unpretentious story, unlike the characters involved whom struggle deep down about profound questions such as how to cope with this mad world filled with people who are not bright nor good. This story makes the reader think and contemplate there own beliefs, and why we do the things we do. As with anything by J.D Salinger, I highly recommend this to teens.

Stars: ★ ★ ★ ★