18 of the Best Coming-of-Age Books to Read at Any Point in Your Life

Sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield gets kicked out of prep school in Pennsylvania and spends three eventful days in New York City before returning home. Over the course of the story — which involves nuns, a prostitute, his girlfriend, Sally, and others — Holden considers running away west. The Catcher in the Rye is both simple and complex like its narrator.