This is the original (at least in terms of modern relevance) satire of modern warfare and decision making. However, it achieves a level of humour very rarely achieved elsewhere. It is a very personal book, and some of the personal touch, sidesplitting jokes, and very dark serious undercurrent make this resonate more with me than some of the other great "political / moral" satires - Animal Farm and 1984 after all can leave you feeling somewhat cold.

This book is so good, my weak attempt at a review is not going to do it justice. But I'll try.

I knew before I was half-way through that this is going to be a favorite and I plan to re-read it immediately. The writing is so fresh, the character studies so sharp, and the satire so relevant in today's increasingly bureaucratic (corporate) society, no wonder it was so hard for me to find a used copy. It's definitely a book I plan to hold onto and enjoy re-reading every year.

Anyone who's ever worked for a big corporation (like myself) can identify with Heller's hilarious and angry take on bureaucracy. Gen. Peckem's quote reads like a line from Dilbert or Office Space:

"Just pass the work I assign you along to somebody else and trust to luck. We call that delegation of responsibility. Somewhere down near the lowest level of this coordinated organization I run are people who do get the work done when it reaches them, and everything manages to run along smoothly without too much effort on my part."

It's sad how true that is in real life.

But this book is not all satire. It has a big heart. I often found myself laughing and crying at the same time. I can tell Heller cares deeply for his characters, even when he makes high comedy out of their sad fates (such as what happens to poor Doc Daneeka). He's brutally honest about the horrors of war, and laces them with enough humanity to really break your heart. It all makes the climatic "miracle" that much more satisfying. It's a satire that ends with a message of hope. And I like that.

Many people call this book ant-war, but I don't think it is. It really comes down to the last conversation btw. Yossarian and Danby. The ideals of war can be good - who can argue against rescuing Western Europe from Nazi domination. But it's the method of war - and all the evils that go with it - that makes no sense. Are these evils worth the ideals? It's a catch-22. And it's a dilemma that applies to life in general, not just to war.

Although [...]. It had an incredible affect on me. It is incredibly funny, yet very sad in parts. Especially for example when you do finally find out what happened to the gunner, Snowden, in the mission to Avignon. Or when Yossarian walks through Rome.

The ideas concerning the ridiculuous nature of war are as topical now as they were in the 1960s. Actually, of course, Joseph Heller's presentation of the insanity around him predated the Vietnam War, and I wasn't around at that time to truly judge the feeling then.

The dialogue is laugh-out-loud funny at times, as is the juxtapostion of events, as for example when Clevinger complains of confusing cause-and-effect in staring at the bomb-line on the map south of Bologna, willing the line to move itself and for the squadron to not have to fly the mission. In fact, the whole chapter in which this incident occurs, "Bologna" was the funniest in the book for me, with the rain beating down and the mission continually cancelled, Chief Whitehalfoat stealing a jeep to drive home, and Yossarian telling his pilot to turn around. And then, of course, Bologna was a milk-run; no glue gun there.

Anyone who has not read this book and is mystified by what is going on at the moment and since 2003 should read this book. It's not going to change the world, but it is food for thought.

Also highly recommended are the next two of Joseph Heller's novels, "Something Happened" and "Good as Gold."

This book was non-engaging, talked about boring and non-sensical chit chat, and hung on its phrase "Catch 22." After patiently studying the book as well as reading it, I find this to be one of the most boring books I have ever read in my life. The plot was threadbare, the characters kept repeating the same words (ie "Do you think I'm crazy?" "No, you aren't crazy." "Yes, I sure am crazy!" "You aren't crazy." "I am.") and dragged on, and on. Another example of boring repetition is an entire chapter dedicated to a character talking about crabapples in his cheeks. I personally don't care if he does or not, and wish the author made a point quickly. All in all, this is a waste of $, a waste of time, and the second most boring book I have ever read after To Kill A Mockingbird.

Other people have written much better, and more detailed, reviews of this book, but its true hilarity and power (which I have heard is quite different than the movie, which I've never seen so can't comment on) simply need to be experienced. Some of the imagery is almost divine; much of it is deliciously ironic; and a little brings us back to the horror that was the reailty of World War II.

Just read it.

Catch-22 consisted of alot of irony and witty sarcasm, and held ideas that seem unrealistic yet comical and incredibly unexpected. I found it understandable that character Yossarian wants to get home without having to die in order to do it, and the other numerous characters and situations made it even more comical and twists the ideas and sarcasm, making it truly unique. But as entertaining as it was I also found it somewhat redundant; the situations and predicaments certain characters were stuck in kept it interesting, but in my opinion there wasn't really a plot. It would jump around to different moments in time unexpectedly and the end of the book was so unexpected and disappointing, it makes the book as a whole seem superfluous.

Irony was a large aspect of the book; practically every situation any character got into was totally ironic, and I think Joseph Heller's use of irony brings out more of the anti-war opinion the book seems to have. It seems like Heller meant for the ideas and situations to be superfluous in order to show that war is superfluous, and I think he portrayed it well in the book. The tools he used to get that point across-- irony, sarcasm, comedy-- I believe were crucial to the ideas and themes, but I also think that seeing it from Yossarian's point of view is crucial as well, and brings out more of Heller's opinions throughout the book.

A good aspect (and one of the very, very few) I found about the book was the fact that it wasn't based on pre-conceived notions of war but based on Heller's own opinion. Heller wrote the book the way he saw war, in a way where it seemed so twisted and unrealistic that it couldn't be reality but in my opinion it was reality. Every situation seemed unbelievable, but I think war in itself must be unbelievable and that was Heller's opinion...it was ridiculous, unbelievable, something one couldn't describe using everyday circumstances. It made all the main ideas stronger and circulated them throughout one another and throughout the book, but that was probably the only good thing about the book. I thought the whole thing was incredibly unnecessary with the way it ended and it was too repetitive with simply describing characters for each chapter; it made it kind of dull.

Catch 22 is simply one of the best books ever written. It describes the world as it really is, and does it in a way that will stick with you for a very long time. You will have fun with the many characters and find them surrounding you in a very real sense in your day to day life. Even the dark tragedy of war becomes bearable as described through the comedic voice of the author.

Great book that captures the absured nature of life better than anyone has ever has.

Catch- 22 is a hilariously genius novel written by bestseller novelist Joseph Heller. The plot takes place in the heat of World War II on the small island of Pianosa, which is eight miles south of Elba. It follows the journey of an American bomber Yossarian, who is encroaching upon the first of his middle-aged years. The story introduces a myriad of characters that very much influence and have the ability to control the fate of the many bombers including Yossarian. In an attempt to escape this unappealing and rather petrifying fate, which is known to be Yossarian's "journey", the protagonist matures as a character that will eventually escape a catch-22 with the last sentence.

The novel, which was filled with irony, spoke brutally honest words, which in different circumstances would have been considered taboo. "...A world boiling in chaos in which everything was in proper order" (154) is one of many instances where Heller's ability to successfully bring together two words of opposite meaning is displayed. Joseph Heller is a literary genius whose novel will never age with time.

The book condition was good. However, we did not receive the book til after a month and a half had already passed. Good thing we didn't really "need" the book for something in particular. Ordered other books on the same day and received within 14 days . . . not sure what happened here but very unhappy with wait time.

Catch-22 was unique among the other World War II novels that I have read. The characters, such as Yossarian, Milo and Major Major Major were quirky and satirical and, though many aspects of the story relating to World War II were embellished and fictionalized, Joseph Heller was still able to convey a powerful message; war is illogical and absurd. Heller's style of writing often seemed unstructured and many of the events that took place made no logical sense. Milo, in his enterprise which played a large role in the novel, was able to buy goods and then sell them for less money but still make a profit. The preposterousness of this situation reflected Heller's overall message about war; war is illogical.
Though Heller used satire and humor to describe a very grim time, he successfully conveyed a sense of hopelessness and despair in the men fighting the war. Yossarian, the protagonist of the story, remained positive throughout but because of his repeated flashbacks to the death of one of his comrades, Snowden, we see that beneath Yossarian's upbeat exterior, he was in fact severely traumatized. In one of the final chapters of the novel, Heller vividly described Snowden's death. Because this was such a sharp contrast to the prevailing satirical tone of the novel, this scene becomes much more powerful and imbued a sense of utter despair.
Although I found most of the characters and many parts of the book humorous, I also found the book long winded. The book was often repetitive and, though this was done intentionally to be humorous, I became bored with the book. Also, I found some of the dialogue very confusing. Overall, Catch-22 was intriguing but did not capture my attention.

When I first picked up Catch-22, I expected to be bored to death by yet another long and dull novel about war. Within the first chapter, I was surprised to find that the book was funny in a darker and satirical way.

At first I thought that this book was about the insanity of war and it's crazy bureaucracy, but upon further reflection I have found this novel to be more about moral decisions and ethics. Sure, Yossarian wanted to be sent home from the war, but he would not okay General Peckem's and Cathcart's theory that it is acceptable to continually raise the number of flight missions, which would endanger the lives of others in the squadron. This huge moral dilemma is the climax of the book, and when Yossarian makes the ethical choice and sacrifices his guaranteed safety for the overall good, the reader is left with a contented feeling.

I am glad that I got the opportunity to read Catch-22. I strongly recommend the book to anyone and everyone who has the time to read and enjoy it.

Set in the closing months of WWII, Catch-22: A Novel (Simon & Schuster Classics) follows Yossarian, a bombardier who has decided that everyone is trying to kill him.

This book is not just a military satire, it's focus is much bigger that that. This book shows the obscene craziness of our world, each character another aspect of human nature.

This novel gets better every time I read it and it's message is still an important one today.

If you haven't read this book yet... what are you waiting for?

That about says it all. I had no idea what to expect when I picked up Heller's masterpiece and perhaps that was part of the wonderful-ness: it was a total surprise. After reading Catch-22, my outlook on life was completely thrown for a loop. No book has ever made me think and reevaluate as this one did. A perfect novel - it makes you laugh, it makes you feel sad, it makes you think and it stays with you. I am ever amazed at the intricacy with which the novel is structured and how the story unfolds. I re-read Catch-22 regularly.

It portrays with humor the stupidity of our military, the government, and people in general.

Stop changing the rules.


That is what the title refers to - that fact that you need to successfully complete a number of missions to get out of the war, but when you get close, the nasty people in charge keep upping the number.

This is a black comedy that follows our protagonist as he tries to get by while stuck in this ugly war situation with a bunch of crazy and going crazy fellow military, locals and other whacky people around the place.

Both funny and bleak at once.

Definitely worth reading.

This didn't live up to my hopes re-reading it twenty years on from the first time - but that's not too surprising given how I relished it then. I suppose much of the pleasure was in how much it shocked and stung - something it's not going to do twice. It's hardly a book that needs any more discussion, so this is more just logging my response. Catch 22 was a wonderful foil to the stiff-upper lip jingoism of so much war literature and cinema, and Heller hilariously pilloried the dubious and at times absurd morality of the military. However this isn't just for laughs - we're not talking Hogan's Heroes farce or McHale's Navy peacetime shenanigans - the humour is as black as it comes. Just as you're wetting yourself laughing at something ridiculous part of you realises this is too close to reality, and the guys falling down dead aren't just cartoons.

This book just overflows with manic wit while managing to powerfully confront some big establishment issues. Unfortunately the next book I tracked down of Heller's, Something Happened, was just an embittered humourless mess. Somehow the same apparent lack of discipline enhances Catch 22.

A tricky thing these days, but may you come to this wonderful book without any prior knowledge or expectations.

Jay O. Sanders performance of this mind-boggling work is equally mind-blowing. He understands the book thoroughly and seems to channel the characters effortlessly. There's an honesty and shocked intensity that parallels the book's--all rendered with extreme confidence and cool. I love it and recommend it highly. One of the best reads ever.

If the "Lance Corporal Underground" had a reading list, Catch-22 would be at the top. From the sociopathic commanders to the stupidity of the mission requirements increasing endlessly and unnecessarily, all of the hilarious absurdities cataloged in this novel are daily realities for anyone involved in the military. Well, they WOULD be hilarious if they were mere fiction.

Joseph Heller, who was an American bombardier in WWII, tells the story of a character in the same situation, John Yossarian, in his historical, satirical novel, Catch-22. The title refers to a military rule in the book in which circular logic is employed to keep air-men flying their missions, despite their best efforts to avoid them. It illustrates perfectly the message of the story: war is insane, and inane bureaucratic operation sustains it.

I began reading the novel with optimistic expectations, mainly from the critical acclaim it has received over the decades, but also because the title's concept seemed a clever premise for a novel. However, as I read chapter after chapter I became disheartened. The jokes were not funny, they made no sense, and the characters rambled on insanely about seemingly unimportant topics. By about page 100 I was seriously considering moving on to something else, but then a colleague of mine saw it in my hand and said, "Catch-22, great novel, isn't it?" This guy was highly-educated and a veteran educator - was I missing something? "Actually," I replied, "I'm not really getting into this one." He smiled and nodded knowingly: "It took me five tries to finish it. The first hundred pages are tough, but once you get over that stretch it's really worth it." Taking him at his word I trudged on, and I am deeply grateful I did. He was correct, as the story gradually began to come together brilliantly and by the end I decided that it was perhaps one of the most solid and intelligent novels that I have yet read.

There were reasons for my troubles, and I fear that many give up with a sour impression of the book due to them. The novel is told from differing points of view, and the story is nonlinear. Events are told repeatedly by different people, often out of sequence, and are revealed more and more in their entirety each time further details are offered. This results in the completion of a set-up to a joke whose punch-line has already been told. It allows the reader to laugh at and understand later a situation which previously seemed frivolous and unfunny. It also changes one's perspective of characters that at first seemed insane, but are later found to be the sanest.

Catch-22 offers many instances of poignant insight and telling observations. One of the most relevant to our own time involves a conversation between the American character Nately and an elderly Italian man:

"You put so much stock in winning wars," the grubby iniquitous old man scoffed. "The real trick lies in losing wars, in knowing which wars can be lost. Italy has been losing wars for centuries, and just see how splendidly we've done nonetheless. France wins wars and is in a continual state of crisis. Germany loses and prospers." (Heller 255)

And later...

"There is nothing so absurd about risking your life for your country," he [Nately] declared.
"Isn't there?" asked the old man. "What is a country? A country is a piece of land surrounded on all sides by boundaries, usually unnatural. Englishmen are dying for England, Americans are dying for America, Germans are dying for Germany, Russians are dying for Russia. There are now fifty or sixty countries fighting in this war. Surely so many countries can't be worth dying for."
"Anything worth living for," said Nately, "is worth dying for."
"And anything worth dying for," answered the sacrilegious old man, "is certainly worth living for... How old are you? Twenty-five? Twenty-six?"
"Nineteen," said Nately, "I'll be twenty in January."
"If you live." (Heller 257)

Despite what justifications can be made for war, how else can war look to one who witnesses the carnage first-hand but to be absolutely without reason? And though certain wars may be just, certainly not all battles are. This is the experience of Yossarian.

The novel contains the heart-breaking reality of war coupled with the zaniness of people on the brink of sanity's edge. It is real enough to be relevant, but surreal enough for the reader to laugh and enjoy without qualms of conscience. For those who have been inhibited by the confusion of the first hundred pages of the book, I beg you to return once more for the long haul. The journey is well-worth it.

Joseph Heller was a genius in delivering such a masterpiece to his fellow countrymen. The style, and proses are evocative. Heller keeps the plot, and storyline right above the surface of the pages. He has you learning of one character make reference to one you will learn of later in the book, or one you just passed. The satire is fulsome, and majestically original. The book refreshes the reader in a way very few books can. It is disconcerting when one realizes this is one of a kind. Authors should take a stab at further developing Mr. Heller's gift.

i don't even know where to start--just thinking of this novel brings a loony smile on my face. i've read this a couple of years ago while i was on fieldwork, and i remember being on the receiving end of worried and even stupefied stares from my friends whenever i had this book on my hands--there were times (a lot of times, mind) when i'd just laugh outright as i read thru the exploits of yossarian, major major (and then more majors), milo minderbender, nately, and other illustrious (or not) characters. their eccentricities are often amusing, beffudling, heartwrenching, and even enlightening.

but besides the humor, there are a lot of issues in the story. people will be given a glimpse as to how it's like for soldiers to be in the thick of war, how they are slowly, subtly changed from the inside-out. heller has masterfully encapsulated the dynamics between and among ranks of soldiers, and even those people outside their outfit that they come in contact with, and what influences they have wrought against one another. morbidly fascinating, excruciatingly merciless, and awkwardly honest, catch-22 deserves to be in everyone's literature...

If you were a MASH fan you will clearly see this novel as wellspring.
The humor is Marxian ( Groucho not Karl ) and you will see that there is nothing new. I am 150 or so pages in and among the chestnuts tackled so far are military tours of duty, farm subsidies, unscrupulous doctors, mindless bureaucracy and Texans.

A particular sentence made me burst out laughing which is uncommon for me when reading, especially bearing in mind that I was 17 hours into a 20 hour journey from the UK back to the US.

This is a great piece of writing and while I can understand its not appealing to everybody, Heller is a great artist and thinker.

A group of my friends went to Stockton State College to see a theater presentation of Catch-22. We all decided to reread the novel;all of us had read the book in high school english.
The times have changed. There is a very pro military culture in the United States today. I think Heller's satire is probably closer to the truth about the efficiency of the military. The people who 'liberated' Iraq will be postal workers in about ten years. And not very good ones either.
There are good wars that must be fought, one must concede. Most of the time,however, it is just male ego and ambition run amok. You might say, what if everyone felt that way?
Then I'd be a damned fool to feel otherwise.

This novel is a brilliant commentary on the absurdity of war, the stupidity of bureaucracy, and the nature of man's existence. Its serious message is told in a comic style, and the chronology ebbs and flows throughout. It is a long novel, but well worth reading through.

Though I have posted dialogue from the book, it DOES NOT contain spoilers!

Obviously I am in the minority when it comes to rating this book, but I guess I'll add my opinion to Amazon's hard drive in the hopes that it will help someone to make a decision on this book:

I really tried to read Catch-22. I have wanted to read it for about three years now, and have always heard good things about it. I went in knowing only what the term 'catch-22' meant, but nothing else.

The first thing that struck me about the book was the humor. I was laughing and giggling for the first few chapters during the humorous dialogue that is rampant throughout that section. I cannot define the humor as deep, as it all seemed just a bit silly. That would be fine for me if it were in small doses - I get plenty of silly humor from my friends - but the book just beats it to death. I'll even demonstrate an example:

There are no spoilers:

********

***********************************************************
"In sixty days you'll be fighting Billy Petrolle," the colonel with the big fat mustache roared. "And you think it's a big fat joke."
"I don't think it's a joke, sir," Clevinger replied.
"Don't interupt."
"Yes, sir."
"And say 'sir' when you do," ordered Major Metcalf.
"Yes, sir."
"Weren't you just ordered not to interrupt?" Major Metcalf inquired coldly.
"But I didn't interrupt, sir," Clevinger protested.
"No. And you didn't say 'sir,' either..."
******************************************************

Ok, maybe Mr. Heller is trying to show that commanders aren't listening to the soldiers or maybe he's trying to demonstrate that the commanders are stupid, I don't know. Regardless, what I know is that this type of humor is repeated continuously through the first 80 pages and by that time it is completely overused.

Ergo, my recommendations for the prospective reader therefore is this:
If you think you can handle the described type of humor in large quantities, purchase this book. If you are unsure, rent it from the library. If the above dialogue seems disinteresting, I would search elsewhere for your next book.

Yossarian experiences, to an absurd degree, the contradictions and bureaucratic nonsense that is part of military life during World War II. Yossarian gets a medal for NOT bombing an Italian town. The supply officer makes a fortune trading across the Mediterranean, and of course there's always Catch-22. If you are crazy enough to want to remain fighting then you can be relieved and sent home, but you have to ask to go home. But if you ask, then you must not be crazy anymore. Catch-22.

An awesome book, easily one of the best American novels ever written.

I never really got into this book, and I'm not quite sure what all the fuss is about. It's at least semi-creative, and it is well written, but I didn't find it all that funny. And humor is supposedly the main selling point here. I didn't find Yossarian that memorable, or particularly likeable for that matter. Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.

I read this book and all I can say is...it was simply a disappointment. I realize it was satirical...however the characters seemed 2 dimensional and unrealistic, and after a while there behavior and responses were so predictable, I soon lost interest and the book became a slog. I personally feel if Joseph Heller wrote it later on in life he would have had more life experiences to draw upon and could have written a much better novel.

A friend recommended this CD to me and it was a great recommendation. Jay Sanders does an amazing job reading this book. He provides interpretation that goes beyond the book and makes the book seem even more ironic and entertaining. Parts are laugh out loud funny. He changes his voice to match various characters and really brings the characters to life. I think his voices and interpretations for Yossarian and Milo are great. The part of the book describing events following Orr's crash landing and the time in a life boat is truly hilarious, made more so by Mr. Sanders's retelling. If you have read the book (which everyone should as it is a bit of genius and a great commentary on the absurdity of life) get the CD, if you have not read the book, get the CD. I think this is one of the best CD versions of a book I have ever heard.

I got through about half of this book and even that was a challenge. It was funny at times however but not enough for me to finish the book. Any book that uses the Lord's name in vain this much is not for me. But I've never been in the military either.

THE PRODUCT ARRIVED ON TIME IN AS NEW CONDITION. I AM QUITE SATISFIED AS I USUALLLY AM WHEN DEALING WITH AMAZON.

I truly loved the book. I have wanted to read it for along time and thanks to Amazon, I did.

Great Job, Amazon.

It seems most criticism of this book on the site asserts claims of dull repetitiveness and trite anti-war arguments. Even Yossarian however admits that the war against Germany had to be fought (of course to know this you would have had to get past the first hundred pages as so few of the critics have).
The book is about capitalism, relationships, friendship, duty, service, love and the eternal paradox inherent in each. There is something human in this book that touches us as the reader in the depths of their humanity and throws us naked from the tree of knowledge (and good and evil too!) into the world around us. Enjoy the fall!

This book is absolutely hilarious. I didn't expect that I would like it, but I have found it extremely enjoyable. Despite the age of the book, the humor is pretty relevant considering the situation of the world today. This is definitely turning into one of my favorite books.

Simply brilliant. Requires some effort, but it is so worth it. Amazingly ironic and truthful throughout, I can read this masterpiece again and again. Highly highly recommended.

Catch 22 was written before MASH became a TV show. This book has action and tells what goes on when our soldiers are not fighting. Make love,not war!

A very, very funny book. Damn sad too, when you see that nothing's changed in 50 or 2,000 years. We're still killing strangers in the name of our flag while the men who send us to be killed make vast fortunes from the deaths of endless innnocents.
I'm guessing they don't make recruits read this during base camp.
It would empty out rather quickly...

For those who hesitate to read this brilliant novel because of its length or lack of a sensible plot, I would like to direct you to read Chapter 38, titled Kid Sister. If this short chapter gets you to howl in laughter, even while reading in public, then this novel is for you and you will never forget the experience of reading it.

I have been taking a look at some of the negative reviews here, and some reviewers do bring up a good(albeit obvious) point: this book does not portray war realistically. If some hippie were to tell me to read this book as proof that war "sucks" or is "dumb", I would feel an urge to slap him/her. It should be a given that practically every satire exaggerates. That is, after all, what makes satire so funny.

That being said, this is still a great book. I won't explain why it is great, as there are so many other reviews which tell you so. I would however like to touch upon a few things. The last few chapters have less humor than the previous chapters, and these chapters can get quite gruesome and disturbing. Also, I sometimes found myself frustrated with the stupidity of some events in the book, instead of humored. Finally, the ending was a little TOO unrealistic, as the whole mindset and attitude towards life is changed in Yossarian thanks to a single bit of news. Mind you, the book ends so abruptly that it is unknown whether he maintains this attitude for long, and therefore it is a bit of a cliffhanger, despite the fact that there was never meant to be a sequel.

Still, overall, a great book. Not quite 5 stars, but more than 4.

Just finished reading Joseph Heller's Catch-22.

I did not like it. Here are my reasons. I have avoided citation of specific instances in support of a point so as not to give anything away.

Heller works the novel like an Archilochus/Isaiah Berlin hedgehog - around the idea of people entrapped, enervated and then destroyed by intended and unintended contradictions of, in this case, the war machinery. Perhaps the indictment is of any powerful bureaucracy - even life itself. The irrational and dehumanizing aspects of war unfold in farcical iterations. Each iteration further fleshes out and reinforces the chimerical webs that entrap the flies - the harder they struggle against it.

The author is most formidable in his use of the language. What skill it must take to overuse the language so incredibly, yet, so lightly. His pen shows no strain - none at all - as it moves left to right, up and down - over and over again - fluting out in steady drips a full mountain of descriptors. It would be achievement enough if the overlapping descriptors somehow came together harmlessly. But here the imagery is all the more better for it. As if, using the elements/techniques of oil painting, one has churned out a most exquisite set of watercolors! Gestures, expressions, movement of any kind rise from the medium of words to that of a resplendent image almost immediately. This, I propose, is Heller's true achievement.

No doubt, Heller has several sources and inspirations. Certainly one of them is Dostoevsky, class Hedgehog. But Heller's one big idea is hardly novel. Literature has many memorably executed suffocating, paradoxical, tragicomic bureaucracies. Repetition of an idea is in itself not a critical drawback because new ideas are not so easy to come by. An existing idea newly represented such as to expand its scope and understanding can be just as worthy an achievement. But there too Heller falls short.

Heller fails because his deliberate, repeating exaggerations become too repetitious. The iterative unfolding of the novel is thick with dialogs, events, characterizations that repeat far more than they move. After a point these repetitions do not add anything significant to any aspect of the novel. The plot is not any more intricate for it. The characters are not any more intelligent or coherent or paranoid for it. The repetitions cease to reinforce anything. In-fact they blunt any worthwhile movement that comes along. Such as ascension of Milo's enterprise into lunacy. The repetitions strip all the edge of such progressions.

Since Heller himself makes several references to Crime and Punishment let us consider it. Too serious and intricate a comparison would be silly but one may still compare certain general aesthetics like plot and character richness. Look at the exquisite contemplative gallop with which Raskalnikov moves to crime and then towards punishment. Look at the coherence of his paranoia. Look at the rich characterizations of Svidrigailov and Porfiry Petrovitch.

But yes, having said that, I think, Yossarian's stroll through war torn Rome is just as beautifully illustrated as any of Raskalnikov's stroll through Petersburg.

All in all, I think the novel is worth reading for its language. Otherwise, I would put it after so many of those other outstanding classics.

This was one of those books that I constantly found in top 10 lists and beckoning to be picked up on many bookstore shelves. Also, I was intrigued how a book's title could gain such significance with its concept becoming such a common term.

The story is a tangled web of nonlinear narrative, unrelentingly logic looping, mental instability, military ineptitude, and satire. It took some time to completely embrace, but about half way through I found myself really gaining emotional attachment to the character ensemble and finally an admirer of the work as a whole. Now I can understand why this subversive work has lasted 40 years as a great American novel.

I'm almost at a loss to describe just how great this book is, but I'll give it a go anyway. Suffice it to say Mr. Heller's tale of war, courage, and madness is as relevant today as it was on its first printing. It's a book that will make you laugh, make you think, and make your heart ache all at the same time.

This is the story of Yossarian, an American bombardier stationed on Pianosa under the command of the vain Colonel Cathcart. No matter how many missions Yossarian and his comrades fly, the colonel demands more of them, gradually raising the number from twenty-five all the way up to eighty. Yossarian becomes increasingly desperate to escape the certain death he knows is waiting for him, especially as his friends are seemingly knocked off one-by-one not just by German gunners but sometimes by friendly fire or outright bizarre circumstances--like being smothered by a cat. Surrounded by pompous, preening, madmen like Cathcart, Yossarian turns out to be the only sane person on the base because he still has at least a shred of conscience.

The satiric wit employed to paint the Army Air Force as bumbling stooges might have seemed ridiculous until a few years ago. Now with Gulf War II and soldiers being sent on four, five, or more tours of duty it doesn't seem quite so far-fetched that a Colonel Cathcart or General Peckem could really exist.

As good as this book is it can be a challenge keeping all the characters straight and all the events in proper order. And like a "Saturday Night Live" skit this goes on a little longer than it should until the bit starts to lose some of its impact. The end is tremendous as Yossarian does the only thing he can do in the face of overwhelming stupidity and madness.

If you're a fan of M*A*S*H the movie or TV show then this book is right up your alley with its wisecracking antiheroes and bumbling commanders. Really to me "Catch-22" seems like the precursor to that movie/series only on a grander scale.

And hey this is one of the only books to add a new word to the dictionary, so that's neat too. Go ahead and give this a read; you won't be disappointed.

That is all.

Catch-22 is a brilliant story of logic and sense. Chronicling bombardier pilot John Yossarian's years in World War Two Italy, on the fictional island of Pianosa, the story brutally satirizes war, politics, and a myriad of human flaws. Heller blends a deep and complex narrative with sharp, intelligent humor to create a classic as thoroughly enjoyable as it is intellectually rewarding. Catch-22 is a must-read, one of the very finest pieces of twentieth century American literature.
The story begins with Yossarian lying in a hospital bed, feigning liver disease in order to avoid flying on potentially deadly bombing raids. He is charged there with censoring the letters sent between soldiers and their loved ones at home and amuses himself by altering the letters in creative ways, often completely changing their meanings. Already the army bureaucracy is criticized, both for its questionable intentions in having the letters censored at all, and for allowing Yossarian to ruin them. Soon a new patient check into Yossarian's ward, a Texan. He "turned out to be good-natured, generous, and likeable. In three days nobody could stand him." The patients' reaction to their amiable fellow sets the stage for a story full of such paradoxes and ironies. At the heart of the confusion in this instance is the Texan's extreme patriotism. The veteran soldiers in the room have become disillusioned with concepts like patriotism and honor and are repulsed by the Texan's reflection of their former naiveté. As each soldier miraculously recovers and returns to duty, we laugh at the absurdity of their overreaction, but we also wonder at the idea of being so repulsed by an ostensibly good quality like patriotism.
The entire episode in the hospital, during which many important characters are introduced and recurring plot elements are brought into the narrative, is over in a few pages. Heller's writing is dense, but reads quickly and smoothly, so much so that readers who revisit a chapter, particularly after finishing the book, will find much more there than the first reading uncovered. In fact, Catch-22 practically mandates re-reading, as the story is often told out-of-order, from frequently changing viewpoints, and with crucial information revealed only after it is needed. Though Yossarian is the book's central character, each chapter brings a new soldier, officer, or civilian into the spotlight, exploring events from his or her perspective as contrasted with Yossarian's relatively sane view.
The first character to receive this treatment is Clevinger. Unlike most of the book's military characters, Clevinger is intelligent, well educated, and highly principled. His unfailing optimism is frequently contrasted with Yossarian's outright pessimism. Almost immediately after his introduction, Clevinger has tries to change Yossarian's dark outlook.
"They're trying to kill me," Yossarian told him calmly.
"No one's trying to kill you," Clevinger cried.
"Then why are they shooting at me?" Yossarian asked.
"They're shooting at everyone," Clevinger answered. "They're trying to kill everyone."
"And what difference does that make?"
Both men make perfectly rational arguments, and both truly believe their words, and yet they couldn't agree more. Unfortunately for Clevinger, fate seems to prove Yossarian right. Not long after their exchange, Clevinger is put on trial in military court, apparently for no other crime than being "smart," (and therefore a threat). The trial is perfectly absurd, and hilarious. A bellicose colonel demands to know the exact time at which Clevinger didn't deny his guilt, but refuses to tell him with what crime he is being charged. After much confused suttering, Clevinger exasperatedly admits "I always didn't say you couldn't find me guilty!" The colonel, finally appeased, says "That's much better, Mr Clevinger."
The trial is side-splitting, but its implied accusations are frightening. The blatant injustice in the military court goes entirely unquestioned by all but the accused. Not a soul questions the court's completely invalid logic or its motivations in attacking one of the most sincerely good men in the camp without cause. Yossarian's belief that the world conspires against the sane seems entirely justified as Clevinger searches desperately for some truth to hold onto, still unwilling to believe that Yossarian's worst fears might have been realized.
Yossarian begins to devote himself entirely to escaping the war when his squadron's commander, Colonel Cathcart, develops a habit of lengthening his men's tours of duty whenever one nears completion. By raising the number of missions required of each man, he hopes to develop the best squad in the army and get promoted to general, but his absurd rule effectively pronounces a death sentence upon his men. Yossarian in particular is horrified, but struggles to find any way around Cathcart in the military's virtual dictatorship of insane and incompetent men.
As the story progresses, Catch-22 darkens as Heller focuses on the facts of war and death. Everything Yossarian sees in Pianosa convinces him further that his own countrymen are out to kill him. The war becomes less and less of a reality as the men of the base gain a sense of the war's futility and the inevitability of their deaths. While Heller's sharp wit remains about him, it focuses more on true insanity than the quirks and character flaws that originally defined his characters. Each man on the island has his own battle with death and must decide what he believes, yet none of them can change the realities of their situation.
As death looms over the island, each man reacts differently, but always in extreme and exaggerated ways. Many go into denial about their fates; others go mad trying to escape their combat duties. Yossarian grows distrustful of everybody and tries one desperate escape after another, obsessed with saving himself. Each character's fate has far reaching implications and serves to advance Heller's anti-war and anti bureaucracy crusade, but it is the result of Yossarian's quest for sanity that writes the final words on war, death, and sanity itself.

I'm more aligned with the reviewers that the trimumphal author takes to task in his 1994 preface, which appears at the end of this edition. I was expecting more out of a novel that has received such wide acclaim, including on the amazon website. The novel was flabby in many places, the characterization was thin, and the absurdist aspects wore on me. In many regards, it read like an extended Marx Brothers movie. I suppose I understand the origins of television's McHale's Navy and more to the point M*A*S*H a little better now, though I must admit what I found tiresome in M*A*S*H, I found tiresome in C-22. The wit was too much on display, wanting to be looked at and thought deep and insightful.

All of that said, I did become engaged by the second half of the book. The chaplain and a few other characters did begin to have something to say. And anyone who has dealt with corporate aburdities will find resonance in many parts of this book. And I learned something about how the American officer class of WWII, which strikes me as quite different than that of today. Heller obviously writes of what he knows. For my money and time however, I would recommend Waugh's Sword of Honor trilogy over C-22 if it's a comedic, jaundiced look at WWII one is seeking.

I recently read an article on the origin of Murphy's Law. For those of you that have never run across this law it states, "If anything can go wrong, it will." This book seems to embody this thought and nothing else. "Catch-22" is a long list of things that go wrong with little hope for meaning or plot. Why is this book popular? I believe that many people can relate to a person that is always faced with problems and is surrounded by strange people. When I was reading this book I was able to find one person (I stress the one) who truly enjoyed it. This single person happened to have been enlisted in the Army twice, both times being put up for Court Martial for their resistance to authority. While hearing this person's story I could tell how their similar situations could draw them to a book like this. I haven't experienced any military time, but I wasn't happy by the portrayal of incompetence by the leaders in this book. I have a hard time believing that everyone in positions of authority in a military unit are either looking for advancement or public notoriety.

I recently reread this book for the first time in 25 years and it is still one of the funniest books I have ever read. Last time I laughed this hard was Across the High Lonesome. Catch 22 demonstrates the absurdity of bureaucracy in war in a hilarious way. The most appealing attribute of the book is how it re-enforced catch 22 throughout the novel and you realize the concept is applicable not only in the military but also in the government, at the office, and even family. The characters are real flesh and bone and in the end I was sad to see them go. Anyone who enjoys watching the ineptitude of interoffice politics and bureaucracies will enjoy this book. And do try Across the High Lonesome it I'll make you laugh and cry! I picked it up after seeing Larry McMurtry had given it Props, and he was right!

To immerse yourself in the WWII-era nightmare at the heart of Joseph Heller's masterful novel is to lose yourself in a world where bureaucracy has run amuck, logic and sanity have become rare commodities, and the threat of imminent death permeates the very air. And yet, the only person who can see all of this is Yossarian, a bombardier who has the misfortune to be stuck in a war while being, as the dust-jacket points out, "dangerously sane." He is terrified by the dangers that surround him, disgusted by the wanton behavior of his compatriots, and angered by the selfishness of his superiors. He just wants to go home and leave all this behind him, but that seems to be an impossible dream. The closer he gets to the end of his tour, the further he gets from going home as power-hungry, image conscious superiors concoct new ways to extend the number of missions their pilots must fly. This is a war where the accuracy of a bombing run is seen as irrelevant so long as it photographs well (a pretty explosion is all part of the CO's PR campaign), a mess hall officer can run an international business that makes him the most powerful man in the unit, and a dead body can be allowed to lie around without getting removed if that officer's paperwork never arrived (making him never officially exist to the bureaucrats), and more. The logic that they and all characters except Yossarian use is utterly absurd, lending "Catch-22" a farcical air, but the genius of Heller's work is that their outrageous logic is actually an only mildly exaggerated version of the logic that we are forced to abide by in everyday life. You can read in his inspired satire the problems that plague any bureaucracy, whether it be as mundane as the office or as vital as the government.

"Catch-22" is outrageous, yes, and that may turn some readers off, but it is a novel that has a devilish heart and a wicked wit at its core - not to mention the fact that it is sheer genius, and it isn't as far-fetched or outlandish as it may initially appear. Heller's tone is pitch-perfect and never wavers, and his vision has made "Catch-22" a timeless classic that is every bit as relevant today as it was when it was first published. An absolute must-read.
Grade: A+

P.S. If you like this check out Kurt Vonnegut, another spectacular absurdist author. I'd recommend Slaughterhouse-Five or my personal favorite, Mother Night.

This was a very popular book when it first came out, and millions of copies were sold in the paperback version in the 1960s.

However, the reviews were mixed. The Sunday Times, for example, thought that the book was far too "repetitious" and it lacked "craft and sensibility." But a reviewer from the Herald tribune in New York thought it was "a wild, moving, shocking, hilarious, raging, exhilarating, giant roller coaster ride of a book." Those two reviews summarize the basic traits of the book. I am quoting Joseph Heller (above) who wrote a piece on the reviews for his book.

The reviews were not unanimous because - and this is a simplification that I make here - this is not a novel in the purest sense as one might think of a novel such as Madame Bovary. It is not a well balanced work of art where one has a few strong characters and a strong plot. Rather, it is a wandering story or a series of short stories all linked by a common protagonist. The hero, Yossarian, is an air crew memeber in a bomber wing which is stationed off the coast of Italy during World War II. The book has a series of strong characters, all held together by a weak plot; it is a series of very funny portraits of various characters in the bomber wing. Each chapter is about a different member of the wing: various colonels, generals, fellow crew members, the chaplain, etc. It descibes their actions, motivations, and inner thoughts.

The book describes how they cope with the isolation, the pressures of war, and the ambitions of the regular officers, especially the colonels who want to become generals.

So, this is a great piece of literature but perhaps not the great American novel. It took Joseph Heller about 8 years to write this story of World War II, and we assume that he has drawn on his knowledge of the bomber wing from his own time in the air-force. It is irreverent humor which leaves the reader laughing out loud on many occasions during the read.

The only other similar book that I have read is Slaughterhouse Five, but the present work is much longer and more complex.

This is an interesting and entertaining read that can be read in a day or two.

This was a very popular book when it first came out, and millions of copies were sold in the paperback version in the 1960s.

However, the reviews were mixed. The Sunday Times, for example, thought that the book was far too "repetitious" and it lacked "craft and sensibility." But a reviewer from the Herald tribune in New York thought it was "a wild, moving, shocking, hilarious, raging, exhilarating, giant roller coaster ride of a book." Those two reviews summarize the basic traits of the book. I quote Joseph Heller himself who wrote a piece on the reviews.

The reviews were not unanimous because - and this is a simplification that I make here - this is not a novel in the purest sense as one might think of a novel such as Madame Bovary. It is not a well balanced work of art where one has a few strong characters and a strong plot. Rather, it is a wandering story or a series of short stories all linked by a common protagonist. The hero, Yossarian, is an air crew memeber in a bomber wing which is stationed off the coast of Italy during World War II. The book has a series of strong characters, all held together by a weak plot; it is a series of very funny portraits of various characters in the bomber wing. Each chapter is about a different member of the wing: various colonels, generals, fellow crew members, the chaplain, etc. It descibes their actions, motivations, and inner thoughts.

The book describes how they cope with the isolation, the pressures of war, and the ambitions of the regular officers, especially the colonels who want to become generals.

So, this is a great piece of literature but perhaps not the great American novel. It took Joseph Heller about 8 years to write this story of World War II, and we assume that he has drawn on his knowledge of the bomber wing from his own time in the air-force. It is irreverent humor which leaves the reader laughing out loud on many occasions during the read.

The only other similar book that I have read is Slaughterhouse Five, but the present work is much longer and more complex.

This is an interesting and entertaining read that can be read in a day or two.