Ell reviewed Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Review of 'Catch-22' on Goodreads
5 stars
Hilarious, classic, and just a good read. Enjoyable through and through.
eBook, 523 pages
English language
Published April 5, 2011 by Simon & Schuster.
Catch-22 is a satirical war novel by American author Joseph Heller. He began writing it in 1953; the novel was first published in 1961. Often cited as one of the most significant novels of the twentieth century, it uses a distinctive non-chronological third-person omniscient narration, describing events from the points of view of different characters. The separate storylines are out of sequence so the timeline develops along with the plot. The novel is set during World War II, from 1942 to 1944. It mainly follows the life of antihero Captain John Yossarian, a U.S. Army Air Forces B-25 bombardier. Most of the events in the book occur while the fictional 256th US Army Air Squadron is based on the island of Pianosa, in the Mediterranean Sea west of Italy, though it also covers episodes from basic training at Lowry Field in Colorado and Air Corps training at Santa Ana Army …
Catch-22 is a satirical war novel by American author Joseph Heller. He began writing it in 1953; the novel was first published in 1961. Often cited as one of the most significant novels of the twentieth century, it uses a distinctive non-chronological third-person omniscient narration, describing events from the points of view of different characters. The separate storylines are out of sequence so the timeline develops along with the plot. The novel is set during World War II, from 1942 to 1944. It mainly follows the life of antihero Captain John Yossarian, a U.S. Army Air Forces B-25 bombardier. Most of the events in the book occur while the fictional 256th US Army Air Squadron is based on the island of Pianosa, in the Mediterranean Sea west of Italy, though it also covers episodes from basic training at Lowry Field in Colorado and Air Corps training at Santa Ana Army Air Base in California. The novel examines the absurdity of war and military life through the experiences of Yossarian and his cohorts, who attempt to maintain their sanity while fulfilling their service requirements so that they may return home. The book was made into a film adaptation in 1970, directed by Mike Nichols. In 1994, Heller published a sequel to the 1961 novel entitled Closing Time.
Hilarious, classic, and just a good read. Enjoyable through and through.
See my review of Cat's Cradle.
[August 2018] I don't know if this is the fifth time I've read it or the sixth. Or seventh. Doesn't matter; it might be my last. It's just not as funny when daily we hear of real-life Aarfys, Milos, Cathcarts and Korns and other cockroaches in too-powerful positions.
I will always love this book. Every page has crushing examples of how horrible humans can be; yet every few pages Heller reminds us how kind we can be too. While it's certainly not The Great Novel About The Human Experience—for one, there are no female characters—Heller covers huge swaths of the big ones: courage, cruelty, greed, compassion, blind moronic obedience. (Come to think of it, maybe this is the perfect book for the present republican administration). Most importantly—this is what keeps the reader going—Heller highlights it all with a tone of utter absurdity. Sometimes it's delighted absurdity, sometimes exasperated, but always …
[August 2018] I don't know if this is the fifth time I've read it or the sixth. Or seventh. Doesn't matter; it might be my last. It's just not as funny when daily we hear of real-life Aarfys, Milos, Cathcarts and Korns and other cockroaches in too-powerful positions.
I will always love this book. Every page has crushing examples of how horrible humans can be; yet every few pages Heller reminds us how kind we can be too. While it's certainly not The Great Novel About The Human Experience—for one, there are no female characters—Heller covers huge swaths of the big ones: courage, cruelty, greed, compassion, blind moronic obedience. (Come to think of it, maybe this is the perfect book for the present republican administration). Most importantly—this is what keeps the reader going—Heller highlights it all with a tone of utter absurdity. Sometimes it's delighted absurdity, sometimes exasperated, but always engaging and thoughtful.
This is an important book; and I don't mean one to have gathering dust on your bookshelf. If you haven't read it, please do.
It won't change your outlook on life, but it's definitely a must-read for anyone who appreciates literature.
There is a laughter about this book, but it is a maniacal laughter. If we did not laugh, we might just go insane. Heller does an amazing job of using humor and irony without glossing over the atrocities of war.
I am not generally a fan of âwarâ fiction, but wars and their justifications do become part of our mythology and our political discourse. Consequently, books that challenge the accepted political myth structure are important even if they are about war.
All of which is far too heavy an introduction to b:Catch-22|168668|Catch-22|Joseph Heller|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1359882576s/168668.jpg|814330, which is a satyrical romp that savages bureaucracy, bogus bravery, and capitalism. Set in later World War II, it centers around the experiences of Yossarian, an American airman based on an island near Italy. Like a:Kurt Vonnegut|2778055|Kurt Vonnegut|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1357661500p2/2778055.jpg's b:Slaughterhouse-Five|4981|Slaughterhouse-Five|Kurt Vonnegut|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337996187s/4981.jpg|1683562, this is an important book that has changed our language ("catch 22" was a term invented by Heller), and our discourse. It is also hilariously funny.
Likely to appeal to people who like a:Tom Robbins|197|Tom Robbins|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1351102884p2/197.jpg, a:Kurt Vonnegut|2778055|Kurt Vonnegut|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1357661500p2/2778055.jpg, or a:Milan Kundera|6343|Milan Kundera|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1216972285p2/6343.jpg.