Catch-22

Rating:
Summary: absolutely amazing book
Review: i like to think of this as a bunch of really funny and really disturbing images synthesized into a really powerful anti-war book. the anti-war argument is so basic and anti-intellectual (i mean that in the best way possible) that there is no such thing as a war that it doesnt apply to. put as a question it is roughly this: "what concievable reason is there that people should want to kill other people who they have never met?" you cant argue with that.

the great thing about the book is that it doesnt read like a "message" its episodic structure lets it be immediately funny or horrifying without bothering with linkage to other scenes. in other words Heller freed himself from the obligations that a continuous plot entails in order to make the book immediately entertaining, yet he managed to attatch a value to the connected events, like the Tralfamadorean novels in Slaughterhouse Five.

Rating:
Summary: Equally Hilarious and Frustrating
Review: Should I be embarrassed that, as often as a laugh during this novel, I want to throw it at a wall? Don't let anyone tell you that you have to love something just because it's considered a classic.

Catch-22 is undeniably witty, hilarious, and spot-on, and for any antiwar counterculture freaks out there, this will probably go right up your ally. The truly interesting aspect of this novel comes from the whole concept of what is common sense and what is illogical. For example, pretend you have people attempting to kill you nearly everyday. These people must be your enemies, right? Why are they trying to kill you? It's war, so someone might argue that they aren't trying to kill you specifically, they are just trying to defend their country. Well, if a bomb or gunfire flies directly at you, doesn't that mean someone wants to kill you?

And on we go through this circle of insane logic. We realize just how ridiculous many defenses of war are, but because this circle of logic and illogic goes on and on, that's where the frustration of the novel comes in. Here's the thing, though: perhaps the entire point of this novel is that the circle is supposed to be frustrating. Why can't everyone see what Yossarian sees? Or is Yossarian just insane?

Catch-22 rightfully stands as a must-read in literature's recent history, but go into it with patience and a witty eye for the illogic that goes into logic... if that even makes sense.

Rating:
Summary: Heller has a wit that can't be beat
Review: With good reason, Catch-22 is a smart alleck classic. Joseph Heller munches-up one of our most sacred institutions, the military and spits it back into faces. Through the eyes of Yossarian, the World War II bombardier who wants nothing more than to not die, Heller exposes all that is kitschy, absurd and soul-numbing about not just the US army but about the high-minded American attitude in general. Indeed, this is probably less a novel about warfare, as it is a novel that comments on all American extremes including extreme pride, extreme capitalism and extreme bureaucracy. Heller may be a gadfly and he may be too cute at times (my only significant complaint about his style) but it is undeniable that he often has a point. It is easy to commiserate with Yossarian. Why is the numbskull who commands his regiment any less of an enemy than the numbskull who commands the one on the other side when both could get him killed? What do things like pride and country matter to someone who is dead? What does it all mean in the end? Those are questions for the reader to answer, but it is pretty certain that there is a passage somewhere in Catch-22 that would take a pretty good shot at his or her resolution.

Rating:
Summary: Better Every Time
Review: Simply put this one of those books that gets better everytime you read it, a book not only worth reading once, but at least 3 or 4 times.

Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece
Review: This is one of the greatest novels written in the 20th Century. Heller's sense of absurdity and pacing is remarkable. His understanding of the double standards created by greed and dishonesty give depth and meaning to a world hungry for answers. His style is not lost on a new generation of writers: David Sedaris for one has mastered the wit of satire. A new writer, John Orozco in his DELANO, pays tribute to Heller with rapid fire dialogues that are reminiscent of CATCH-22. These satires are valuble in exposing hypocrisy.

Rating:
Summary: Catch 22
Review: Simply put, Catch 22 remains entirely original and absurdly different 40 years after its first publication. It's 1984 with wit and satire. You'll laugh 'til it hurts and maybe even think a bit too. Buy it and let Joseph Heller surprise you with his weird and wonderful way of writing.

Rating:
Summary: CATCH THE THIEVES FORGET 22
Review: While this was one of the most enjoyable books I've ever read it does one thing poorly. It does not [tick]people off enough. After reading this book one sighs and thinks that there is simply no hope for the human race. People are too stupid and self-motivated.

Before we lose the little freedom and privacy that we possess in this fine but quickly faltering country please take a look at How to Save America and the World by Joseph Francione. It connects the dots in such a way as to show what to do after faced with the likes of the idiots in Catch 22.

Rating:
Summary: Who Knew War Could Be So Funny?
Review: I'm getting a little nervous, because I'm re-reading "Catch-22" and am a bit less enamored by it than I was the first time around. I'm going to go ahead and base this review on my first reading with the qualification that the book may not hold up quite as well on multiple readings.

The first time through, however, I was blown away. This book is really not like anything else I'd ever read. I know that statement sounds cliche, but it was true for me. Joseph Heller invents an entirely new prism through which to view the world, and I suspect the humour and zaniness in this novel will either work or not work for readers based on personal taste. It worked for me, and after reading it, the only thing I could think of was what had prevented me from reading it sooner.

Actually, my wife couldn't wait until I was done with the book, because at times I was in such a black mood while reading it. That's not a criticism of the book but rather a testament to Heller's skill as an author. He so perfectly controls the story that you will have tears of laughter rolling down your face one moment and a sick feeling in your stomach another as the story moves effortlessly from rollicking comedy to horrific tragedy.

I won't bother trying to summarize the plot or characters. I have read other comments that criticize Heller for not inventing developed characters, which I suppose is a justified criticism. Many of them have a cartoonish quality and exist solely for the purposes of making a point or moving the plot along. However, they're not totally devoid of depth, because when a character dies, I felt genuinely moved and actually mourned the loss. Their individual traits and quirks (even if that's all you get of them) are so delightful that their absence from the story is keenly felt.

I can't praise this book enough and only hope that as I continue to re-read it, the genius of it will emerge once again. One thing is for certain: I doubt I will ever read anything quite like it again, because I doubt that anyone will ever again write anything quite like it.

Rating:
Summary: Caught-22! (Get it?!?!)
Review: I've been seeing this book around forever. My roomate had to read it in highschool, but he never finished it. In fact, he had to write two research papers on it, and STILL never finished it. After reading up on it, I decided to give it a try...it being a classic and all. And let me tell you, I was impressed.

Lately I've been on a Vonnegut reading spree, and this fit well into the same mindset. Plenty of hilarious conversations and occurances. You just can't go wrong with clever humor. I finally know where the phrase "My name is Mudd" comes from (Primus fans will feel nostalgic)!

This book is a challenging read though. No rookies want to tackle this puppy. You have to keep track of the characters, or you'll get a little lost. Still, I do not even consider that a negative thing. It's just something you have to deal with, right?

Anyways, this was a great book. Who would have thought that a war satire could be so funny? One last thing, my favorite character was Major Major Major Major.

Rating:
Summary: Unlike any other war novel
Review: Catch-22 is tremendously different from most of the other war novels. For one, glory and honor are not depicted as characteristics of soldiers who are in combat. Yossarian isn't exactly on the front line, like Paul in All Quiet on the Western Front, and his ability to go to Rome allows the reader to see that although combat missions are forced onto him, he is still a human being. He is not like a character that is so engrossed in the war whose condition is difficult for the average person to comprehend. Yossarian shows you his life, his inability to ensure himself survival, and the utter irony of war. The novel is captivating and evokes many different emotions: laughter, tension, shock, and sadness. There were many instances when I laughed and at the same time realized the horror of Yossarian's life. Heller's unique ability to illustrate war had a striking effect on me and remained with me for a long time.