The Catcher in the Rye Enigma: J.D. Salinger's Mind Control Triggering Device or a Coincidental Literary Obsession of Criminals? (The Underground Knowledge Series)

THE CATCHER IN THE RYE ENIGMA unearths the mysteries surrounding the 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger – arguably the most controversial book of all time. Nicknamed the 'Bible of teenage angst', the classic novel, which is frequently labeled immoral by different groups, has been banned in various parts of America over the decades. However, the main controversy, and indeed the most common reason for it being banned, was that it either inspired or was associated with some of the most infamous crimes of the 20th Century. These crimes include the murder of John Lennon and the attempted assassination of President Reagan.The allegation directed at Salinger is that he (and/or his publisher) craftily implanted into the book neurolinguistic passages, or coded messages, that act as post-hypnotic suggestions or mind control “triggers”. In turn, these triggers enabled CIA handlers to activate Manchurian Candidates for assassinations. Some conspiracy theorists also believe the novel was part of the CIA’s now mostly-declassified mind control program MK-Ultra, and that while assassins were being brainwashed they were forced to read the book over and over until it was embedded in their minds. But given that Salinger’s critically acclaimed masterpiece was one of the biggest selling books of the 20th Century, are the crimes it was associated with merely happenstance? Today, if a handful of different murderers had a copy of The Da Vinci Code or a Harry Potter book, or were all fixated on a similarly popular book, would it even make the news headlines? Novelists, filmmakers and independent researchers James Morcan & Lance Morcan investigate these theories and counter arguments in THE CATCHER IN THE RYE ENIGMA – the fourth book of The Underground Knowledge Series. This balanced exposé ultimately leaves it up to you, the reader, to decide whether J.D. Salinger's novel is a “Mind Control Triggering Device” or simply a “Coincidental Literary Obsession of Criminals” just as this book’s subtitle suggests. Besides the criminals who targeted Lennon and Reagan, THE CATCHER IN THE RYE ENIGMA also details other deranged individuals who were obsessed with Salinger’s book including stalkers and murderers of leading political figures, film stars and other celebrities. The idea that assassination codes are buried deep in Salinger’s book is one of the oldest conspiracy theories around and has been explored repeatedly over the decades with no smoking gun ever found. In fact, many familiar with Catcher conspiracies may think all the theories have already been proven to be false and there’s no need to drag them up yet again. However, given what the authors have uncovered in their research for THE CATCHER IN THE RYE ENIGMA – especially the unique revelations on the history of mind control, the effectiveness of subliminal messages, the latest scientific studies on the brain, Salinger’s underreported dealings with the Americanized Nazis of Project Paperclip and the recently declassified documents on real-life Manchurian Candidates – they believe some of the theories swirling about the classic novel deserve another look.Note that this title is an extended version of several chapters in The Orphan Conspiracies: 29 Conspiracy Theories from The Orphan Trilogy (Sterling Gate Books, 2014) also by James & Lance Morcan. The Catcher in the Rye Enigma therefore contains a combination of new material as well as some recycled material from The Orphan Conspiracies.

The 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, is arguably the most controversial book of all time.

Nicknamed the 'Bible of teenage angst', the classic novel, which is frequently labeled immoral by different groups, has been banned in various parts of America over the decades. From 1961-1982 it was the most censored book in libraries and high schools across the United States. School principals have branded it communist propaganda and teachers have been fired for assigning it to students.

However, the main controversy, and indeed the most common reason for it being banned, was that it either directly inspired or was associated with some of the most infamous crimes of the 20th Century.

Presidential assassins and would-be Presidential assassins, stalkers and murderers of film stars and music icons are among the known deranged individuals who were obsessed with Salinger's book - a book which many claim to be an assassination trigger device.

The allegation pointed at Salinger is that he craftily implanted into the book coded messages that act as post-hypnotic suggestions or mind control triggers. In turn,these enabled CIA handlers to activate Manchurian Candidates for planned assassinations.

Many believe the novel was part of the CIA's extensive mind control program known as MK-Ultra, and that while assassins, or future assassins, were being brainwashed they were forced to read the book over and over until it was embedded in their minds.

These ideas and others have been covered in pop culture, especially in the 1997 film Conspiracy Theory, in which Mel Gibson's character carries a copy of Salinger's book with him at all times. The cleverly-written film, which at first appears to be nothing but a lightweight romantic comedy co-starring rom-com queen Julia Roberts, becomes more intense as the story progresses and it's revealed Mel Gibson's character is entwined with the CIA and is a mind control victim of the agency's MK-Ultra program.

Season three of the TV series Criminal Minds features an episode called Limelight in which the character of David Rossi, played by Joe Mantegna, mentions having once interviewed serial killer Ted Bundy who told him, "If you wanna stop people from becoming like me, don't burn Catcher in the Rye."

An episode of the animated TV series South Park also covers the mind control theory in a humorous way when one of the show's young characters reads the book then picks up a knife and starts saying, "Kill John Lennon, kill John Lennon." The boy is disappointed when his father informs him the former Beatle was assassinated years earlier.

But seriously, can The Catcher in the Rye really wake MK-Ultra sleeper assassins from their slumber?

That's up to you, the reader, to decide by the end of this book.

It must be noted the idea that assassination codes are buried deep in Salinger's book is one of the oldest conspiracy theories around and has often been explored over the decades. In fact, many readers familiar with Catcher conspiracies may think all the theories have already been proven to be false and there's no need to drag them up yet again.

However, given what we've unearthed in our research for this book and indeed the entirety of The Underground Knowledge Series - especially the unique revelations on the history of mind control, the effectiveness of subliminal messages, the latest scientific studies on the brain, the Americanized Nazis in Project Paperclip and the recently declassified documents on real-life Manchurian Candidates - we believe some of the theories swirling about Salinger's classic deserve another look.
 
James Morcan & Lance Morcan