Catch-22

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: This is a great great book.
Note, none of his other books come close to this one.

Rating:
Summary: Rings True...Regarding Life in General.
Review:
Catch 22 is a classic.

No book has more viciously exposed the way logic can be a false, coercive tool, or the way men can be coerced by society into fulfilling roles they are absolutely dispassionate about. The book is mesmerizing; making pass after pass, building up detail; layer upon layer, we are forced to examine how this madness revolves and evolves from every possible characters perspective.

Every man in this book is small and weak, all are likeable.
The madness of war is fully contemplated, but it is within the wider picture of the madness of society that it is exposed and condemned with ruthless accuracy time and again.

I, like so many of those who have reviewed this book, tried to read it as a teen and gave up. I think you need to be of a certain age to truly appreciate this book; it is the coercive logic of catch 22 which is at the heart of this book, a logic that we are exposed to in adult life almost constantly.

Among the characters of the air base, only Yossarian can see the madness of the false logic and coercion that lies a few inches behind "free will".

Oh, did I mention this book is funny? -- That's the best part of it: that it manages to be insanely funny while also being profound, proof that "comic" novels need not all be cotton candy. Try Catch 22! Keep a copy of this novel at hand. Another book I need to recommend -- completely unrelated to Heller, but very much on my mind since I purchased a "used" copy off Amazon is "The Losers' Club" by Richard Perez, an exceptional, highly entertaining little novel I can't stop thinking about.


Rating:
Summary: In a Class by Itself
Review: Some people judge satire on how funny it is. This is unquestionably one of the funniest books you will ever find. However, what makes this a classic, for me, is the force and power of its insights. It is powerful because it is true. It is not afraid to speak the truth. Catch 22 sustains a high level of devastating truth page after page. In this it is greater than any other modern novel I've read. In future generations, as long as there are people who are able to read and understand, this book will stand with Jonathan Swift, Rabelais, and Cervantes as one of the greatest satires. I'm not saying it is their equal, but it is definitely in their class. One last observation for those who know, or who want to know -- "T.S. Eliot".

Rating:
Summary: A Classic that is Just as Relevant as Ever
Review: Catch-22 is one of those rare novels that remain will remain significant long after the time about which it was written passes. The humor is brilliantly crafted, and the characters are both outrageous and believable. But more importantly Joseph Heller explores the nature of human survival, morality, and patriotism in ways that few other authors have even attempted

Rating:
Summary: Top of my list
Review: There are only a handful of books that refuse to fall into pre-determined "categories." CATCH 22 is one such book. Only a few others come to mind (think McCrae's THE CHILDREN'S CORNER or possibly FIGHT CLUB) These are books that thumb their nose at convention and the usual forms and ideas. Thank goodness we have these and some others, but the one that stands out in my mind the most is CATCH 22. There are several characters in the book, but the one that Catch-22 is rooted to is Yossarian, who throughout the whole book is always wondering why people he has never met are trying to kill him. His wondering why leads him to try to leave the army in any way possible, but he is always confronted with "catch-22", which in his case means he can leave the army if he is crazy, and he must be crazy to fly the dangerous bombing runs, but, and here's the catch, "anyone who wants to get out of combat duty isn't really crazy...that a concern for one's own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind". Catch-22 is used in different situation throughout the book, each with its own underling meaning. Joseph Heller, the author, does a great job in explaining the circumstances and events that happen in war. He does a very great job in describing all of the characters and how they all feel. He also relates all of the feelings of the characters, to the real life feelings that people would have while in war. The main theme of the story is that Yossarian has to sacrifice himself in order to save the other men in the war.

Rating:
Summary: b
Review: I just read some of the reviews which give this book only one star, and it amazes me how people can give up on a story just because its not structured like a normal story, and it dares critcize war and the military. Most people complain that the story had too many characters and no order. That's the point of the book. The point was to give the reader a story so adsurd and crazy that in reading it you gain insight into what it may have been like to be serving in the military in WWII or any war for that matter. I have never served for my country and respect all the soliders present and past who have fought either for America or against it. Stories like this and Slaughter House 5 really represent how pointless and absurd war really is. One reviewer said this book was "replete with needless descriptions, and depraved immortality." Funny, I always that war was the best example of depraved immortality.

Rating:
Summary: A Timeless Classic!
Review: The greatness of Joesph Heller's Catch-22 cannot possibly be overstated. It is simply one of the finest books ever written, and one can only hope that it will continue to be read by people young and old forever.

The novel is considered a satire. Set during World War II the main character is Yossarian, a wise cracking bombadier that wants nothing more than to survive the war. Yossarian proves too smart to be killed, but he is never smart enough to figure a way out of the war. The reason being Catch-22.

The "catch" is that the Air Force considers a man to be insane if he willingly continues to participate in bombing missions. The Air Force would not allow an insane man to do this, but he is volunteering.

On the flip side, if a man puts in a request to be relieved from bombing duties, then he must be sane. After all, is not attempting to prolong ones life the most sane thing to do. Of course, a sane man cannot possibly be relieved of duty. He is needed for the bomb run. The predicament confounds Yossarian throughout the novel as he attempts to stay alive. He has made it his mission to live forever even if it kills him. Of course, the closer Yossarian gets to completing his tour, the more his superior officer increases the number of bombing missions required to gain release from duty.

The novel is a black comedy that goes back and forth from hilarious to horrific. We laugh at the apparent conspiracy to keep Yossarian in the war. We cringe when the conditions at the military hospitals are fully detailed. It is impossible not to laugh at Major Major Major, who much to his dismay, looks too much like Henry Fonda. It is equally impossible to not to ponder the situation of the soldier in white, covered head to toe in bandages, if he is really there.

While the book is an anti-war piece focused on World War II, Catch-22 has not lost its importance today. Its biting sarcasm and wit can be enjoyed as much today as it was in the early 1960's when it was first published.

Heller employs a style that is all his own. The irony and satire that he creates is unparalleled. I am truly unable to think of a single person that would not love this book. Try it for yourself! I also must recommend another, totally obscure little novel called The Losers' Club by Richard Perez -- another absolute winner!

Rating:
Summary: A timeless classic
Review: It is hard to define exactly what "Catch-22" is. At its most basic, it is a book about a squadron of American WWII bomber pilots who fly over Axis territory out of their base in Italy late in the war. More specifically, it is about one captain who has become all crossed up with the absurdity of the war.

In the end, it struck me as being a book about being able to see the world from fresh perspectives, even when you think you already are. The ending of the book leaves you feeling strangely excited about the unseen possibilities in life.

A must-read for anyone who enjoys fiction that delves into the philosophical.