The Catcher in the Rye vs The Great Gatsby: Which Should You Read?

Both live on shelves: Classics, Fiction

Cover of The Catcher in the Rye

The Catcher in the Rye J. D. Salinger · 1945 ★★★★☆ 3.8 255 pages · ≈ 4 h 43 m · Moderate Find on Amazon

vs

Cover of The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald · 1920 ★★★★☆ 3.9 431 pages · ≈ 7 h 59 m · Moderate Find on Amazon

The verdict

Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
The Catcher in the Rye is the quickest read — about 4 hours vs 7 for The Great Gatsby.

Side by side