Catch-22

Book is great - NookBook is sloppy OCR job

I'm not going to talk about the content of the book. People have covered that.

The NookBook of Catch-22 was generated from a scanned manuscript and then insufficiently copyedited. To pick one example, words that begin with "Li" are frequently rendered with a "U" instead; so, say, "Lip" becomes "Up." It happened often enough to be distracting.

Considering we're asked to pay MORE than the paperback price for the NookBook, and we can't return the NookBook for being shoddy, this is unacceptable.

10 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

Catch 22 Delivers

Catch 22 is a classic novel that comes around every ten years or so that delivers a story so out of the ordinary and yet so real that everyone who loves to read should pick this title up.
Not only did this book create a phrase that has lasted the ages it makes you think what could have been if...Even though thinking this way will only get you in trouble because of the Catch 22 you find yourself in.
Joseph Heller brings to the table a dainty group of soldiers who believe someone is trying to kill them and that they are going to die, even though they don't want to. The dialog back and forth is outrageous and hilarious, making one wonder how would I react if I was stuck in the same situation.
I found this classic easy to read and understand, rooting for the soldiers to come back home asking myself "Why do they have to die?", even if they don't.
You'll love Heller's creation of a wayside group of individuals vying to survive in a outfit of misfits who can't seem to get along. He delivers solid dialog and great storytelling, running the reader through the muck of unmotivated soldiers all trying their hardest to survive.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Everyone is crazy

I'm putting this on my bookshelf right next to "Atlas Shrugged." This book falls under the category of a book everyone should read, everyone should understand, and certainly not a book you want anyone to know you read or understood.

This book is painfully applicable to today. It is a classic example of how government and companies are run. Sadly.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A classic

This is by far my favorite book of all time. I have read it 4 times already and am reading it again. Catch-22 is not a book for the casual reader, but more for a reader that will look beneath the surface to see what the writer is actually trying to say. The brilliance with which Heller writes is beyond words.

Through his many different scenarios, Heller conveys to the reader the insanity that is present within war situations. Yossarian is often referred to as the crazy one and in a normal social structure he may be...but in the world of Catch-22 where everything seems to be upside down and backwards, he is the only sane one there. The very definition of Catch-22 is insanity, as the men can only be sent home if they are deemed too crazy to fly, but can't be sent home for being too crazy, because they would HAVE to be crazy to want to fly missions.

Once you pick up on the theme(s) of the novel, you will be able to see the humor in the many different situations, even within the characters names themselves. (My favorite being Col. Sheiskopf) I definitely would recommend this book, but take your time reading it...

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK

This story had an incredible affect on me. It is incredibly funny, yet very sad in parts. Especially 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, As K S Michaels has for me, but it is food for thought.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Very good with a few aspects that keep it from being a genuine classic

A very original book; creative and quite funny in parts; several chapters were reminiscent of watching favorite MASH episodes. Also, a number of poignant moments that were very impactful, providing the grim reality of death in war. The juxtaposition of these moments with the overall absurdity of the plot was fairly powerful. I enjoyed reading the book and would recommend it to others, with the following caveats: there are so many characters, making references to past sections confusing; some repetition; a bit longer than necessary (due to the repetition and sections that do not add much).

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

not all that

catch 22 was an assigned reading i was expecting to enjoy, sadly it was not all i expected it to be. i was a strange retelling of WW2 from a man thought to be crazy but could not admit to it to get out of the army, this was the catch. back flashes appeard without warning and caused confusion as i read it. it had its moments of pure weirdness such as the parade incidents, y would s/one flash back to that? i think it was renowned by critics because its such a different book to those that were written about ww2 but otherwise its just an odd book about an odd man in the middle of war.

2 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

A true classic, and rightfully so.

Managing to retain reason in insanity, Catch-22 made me both grin and sadden. A work of art that has to be enjoyed slowly and savoringly.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great book

This is such a funny book. Great for those who like dark humor and satires.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Sadly disappointed

I know this is supposed to be a great piece of literature, but I got exhausted trying to keep up with the author's train of thought. Each sentence began with one idea/character and somehow morphed into another. I wish I could love it as I've been waiting to read this for so long, and was bitterly disappointed.

1 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

My Book Review for English 9 due yesterday haha

When I think of the term "war story," I tend to think of the long grueling battles, the wounded dying in the mud, or the sounds of guns blasting in the distance. However, in Joseph Heller's great novel, Catch-22, the most significant and my favorite scenes are ones not on the battlefield; they are the ones at camp. The ingenious (yet sometimes confusing) plot is centered around the main character in this novel, Yossarian, who has seen the inhumane and thoughtless actions of his superiors during the second half of WWII. He is an air force pilot stationed in the Mediterranean Sea conducting bombing raids that seem to never end. After enduring one mission after another, he stumbles on a way to be discharged from service if he is deemed insane. His never-ending search to get out of the military and his conversations with his friend Nately are humorous and entertaining. However, when Yossarian first claims to be "insane," he proves to the doctors that he truly IS sane because anyone who is really sane would want to be discharged. This confusing paradox, or circular reasoning, is Catch-22. Catch-22 is described in many other ways, mostly in other nearly incomprehensible paradoxes that "catches" its subject in its illogic, and always allows the government complete control over the pilots' lives. The theme of total power to the government can also be found in some other side stories (and flashbacks that happen at unspecified times) throughout the novel, such as when Officer Minderbinder can make himself immense amounts of cash just by trading amongst the companies he himself owns. You find yourself rooting for the soldiers, and wonder why they must die. I thought Yossarian's struggles with the law Catch-22 as amusing as no matter where you went, or which way, the government always ended up on top. And as the war goes on, Yossarian witnesses more tragedies among his men- murder, death, rape, and disease. When he is arrested in the streets of Rome, he is given a choice; Stay in the Air Force, or be honorably discharged. But there's a cache, if he is discharged, his men in his squadron must fly another eighty missions. Will Yossarian be tempted to regain a life of his own, and yet endanger the lives of his own men? Or will he continue to fly under the rule of Catch-22? Although the plot is hard to comprehend at first, is you persevere through the confusing flashbacks and characters whose names you forget, it will all make sense in the end.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Catch-22

What do you think of when you hear "war story"? Is it Guns! Giant Battles! War Hero's! Victory!? That wasn't what Joseph Heller was thinking when was writing the classic Catch-22.
Instead of the focus of the book being on battles, some of the best (and funniest) parts of the entire book happen when everybody is in camp thinking about going into battle. One of the topics that keeps on being brought up is Catch-22. This is a rule that states a pilot can be grounded if he tells a doctor that he is mentally unstable. But here's the catch: if a pilot asks to get out of combat duty, he is clearly sane. Only a sane person would want to avoid danger, (if a doctor grounds a "sane person" he will be court marshaled). This leads to several humorous circular arguments.
One of the best parts of the book is how Heller tells the story. The story isn't only told through the eyes of the main character. Most of the chapters talk about different characters. Even some of the most minor characters are very well developed because of this. Out of all of the characters, my favorite is Major Major Major Major. His first middle and last name is Major, and he just happens to be a major. I also feel like Major Major (how his name is abbreviated in the book) is the most well developed secondary character. He has a long chapter dedicated to his entire life. This is the funniest part of the book. His dad is paid not to grow alfalfa, because there was a surplus of it at the time. Major Major's father calculated how much he got paid not to grow alfalfa, so he bought more land to get more money by not growing anything. My favorite part of the book is that it feels like all the characters are real people in an actual war, and not stereotypical war heroes.
Another unique aspect of this book is Heller's writing style. Heller is very astute, It felt like he never had a hard time saying exactly what he wanted to say. Also, it seemed like Heller was telling a true story, like when your grandfather tells you a war story, and you know a lot of it is exaggerated.

Catch-22 is also nonlinear. About halfway through the book it goes back to explain how the protagonist (Yossarian) got to be where he was. Yossarian seems like he's his own worst enemy. He works himself up until he seems like a crazy paranoid person, but that might just be because he is in the middle of a war, and every mission might be his last.
Another reason why I love this book is that it feels like Yossarian's troubles are never going to end. The commander keeps on increasing the number of missions a pilot has to fly before he can go home. Say a pilot finishes his missions, he doesn't get sent home, he has to wait at camp until the number of missions increases. Whenever a character nicknamed Hungry Joe finishes all of the missions, he screams in his sleep and is very edgy when he is awake. When he still has missions to fly he is fine. So everyone can tell if they have to fly more missions depending on Hungry Joe's mood.
In the end, Catch-22 is one of the best books ever written, It even added a new phrase to the English dictionary, and you should read it no matter how old you are.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

On the floor laughter

I have read hundreds of books but this is the only one that had me physically laughing out loud. Pure enjoyment!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Review

When people think of America in World War II, they think of a brave nation defending us from the evils of the Axis powers. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller takes a far different approach. It is a historical fiction book told in third person limited that has a certain flare that will pull the reader right into the story. Yossarian is an American bombardier stationed in Pianosa, Italy during World War II a colorful character whose main goal in life is to stay alive. Yossarian and his friends Milo, Orr, Nately, Dunbar, McWatt and several other colorful beings are involved in many adventures, some comical and edgy, others tragic and horrifying. Throughout the course of the book the horrors of war reveal themselves to Yossarian leading to his refusal to fly any more missions. This rebelian carries to his conflict with Colonel Carthcart who forces Yossarian to make the decision: go home alive and promote the war, or get a court marshal. This novel brought out a wide array of emotions in me. I laughed, cried, and had to think about the meaning and purpose of the story. The point of a historical fiction is to bring the reader into the time, place, and mindset as if he or she was actually there. Although I was not born and have nothing to compare it with, I feel that this novel did its duty as a historical fiction in an exceptional way. There is something for everyone in Catch-22: humor, history, well developed characters, a complex story line, and heartbreaking, thoughtful moments as well. As with most books there are dead spots, moments that you want to skip through to get to the main point. I also felt that the rising action and climax came too late in the novel but when they came they came with a bang. This book will continue to be read in ages to come.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A reviewer

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.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Something to think about..

In the novel,you are shown the kind of anticipated fear that lies in front of soldiers in the past and today. I would definatley suggest reading this book for the understanding of the blood and tears in the middle of war.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Laugh out loud funny

Darkly comic, with some of the funniest lines ever put on paper. Chapters of note: 'The Soldier Who Saw Everything Twice' and 'Nurse Ducket.' A must read. One of the greatest books ever written.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Disappointed

I purchased this book believing it was the 50th anniversary edition, but sadly it was not. There are not essays at the end, and i would have really liked it since i needed this book for class. If i am mistaken then please disregard this comment.

I have mixed emotions about Catch-22; I liked the book, but I al

I have mixed emotions about Catch-22; I liked the book, but I also disliked a few parts in it as well. On one hand I liked the book because I thought the way Joseph Heller wrote this book was very good. He had good development of the characters and setting, but the theme of the book was a little unclear. I eventually came to the conclusion that one of the themes of the book was that one cannot escape death because of the fact that everyone around Yossarian was dying and Yossarian was convinced everyone was out to kill him, but this is only my thoughts and may not be correct. I liked the way Yossarian was not afraid to admit he felt everyone was trying to kill him even though it meant people would think he was insane. I did not like the way no one character was in the book more than one chapter, except a few major characters. This kept the book interesting by constantly introducing new characters, but it also made it a little confusing, which is why I had trouble following the book at first. I eventually caught on and was able to keep the characters straight and I was able to enjoy the rest of the book. I also liked the way Heller was able to add in humor to keep the reader interested and entertained. I enjoyed reading this book because of the humor and Heller’s sarcastic tone. This book was very different than the books I have read in the past and I thought it was nice to read something with a style I wasn’t used to. Overall, I believe Joseph Heller is a wonderful writer with many great stories to tell. I enjoyed reading his book and hope many other students will read it in the future.

We're All Crazy!

Whether you are the avid reader, or even the once a year type of reader, take some consideration in Joseph Heller's works. If you can read, you should read Catch-22. This book brings the crazy out of anyone who reads it. It was so good, I read it in two days, but then I read it again.

Based in the 1940s, the whole book is revolved around scenarios involving war. In any battalion, there is a catch: Catch-22. It isn't an ordinary catch, but a catch that can make one man's word law. One of its statements is that insane people potentially endanger the lives of their squad; therefore they are ineligible to fly missions. But the person has to make a request to be relieved; but this alone takes account of the safety of his fellow troops. Then, they are ineligible to be relieved. What results is that eventually only the insane people fly the missions.

This book is entirely fictional, but the characters seem to come to life with each of their quirks. John Yossarian, the main character, worries about nothing except his own survival. Dunbar, Yossarian's friend, does everything he finds boring just to live what feels as long as possible. Milo Minderbinder is an entrepreneur who uses both sides of the war to make a profit.

For the reader at heart, or the couch potato, Catch-22 is an amazing book. If anyone should read a book in the next few weeks, it is this one. It describes the gradual descent into insanity and is fun overall.