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In general a book is considered good or very good if it brings up a specific theme, lifestyle or a specific narrative structure for the first time to a larger audience.
That is the reason why the books by J.R.R. Tolkien might be considered as literature, but those thousands of similar fantasy novels that followed are not, for example.
Salinger was a revolution in literature at his time. He changed the world view of hundreds of thousands of readers. That is a good reason to be rated as one of the most influential authors of the 20th century, I think.
Literatur is not just about telling a good story. It's about the author's integety, it's about his life and art, and the question if that represents something that is able to change history. Salinger's books changed history. And I think they are still able to touch a reader's heart if you like this sort of american literature.
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