My things are...a good first paragraph, and a good last paragraph. If they move me the right way, I buy the book. :P

And I do agree that the cover for "Catcher in the Rye" is so boring...but oh, it's such a fantastic book! I read it once years ago, and that's all I've needed - I haven't been able to get it out of my head since. All of Salinger has been like that for me.