The author of the novel 'The Catcher in the Rye' is J.D. Salinger, whose full name is Jerome David Salinger. He was born in 1919 and is known for his works of fiction, particularly his 1951 novel 'The Catcher in the Rye'. Salinger's works are often characterized by adolescent angst and alienation from society. He wrote several short stories and novellas, as well as a few novels, before his death in 2010.