Episode Details

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.

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