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`Catch 22 was one of the first books I read that I really lost myself in. Having only read it once, I find that I still miss the characters to this day' --Independent Magazine
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
60 of 67 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The ultimate exploration of the human condition,
By A Customer
This review is from: Catch 22 (Everyman's Library classics) (Hardcover)
On the surface, Catch-22 is a fine novel about the U.S Army Air Force in Europe during the 1939-45 war. You do not have to scratch the surface hard to find a classic, timeless novel of the fine line between sanity and total madness. Is Yossarian, the 'hero', totally sane, or utterly, irredeemably insane? You tell me. Catch-22 is unique in its ability to thrust confusion, frustration, despair, insanity, death and plain old fashioned misery in waves - and yet repeatedly surprise you with its sidesplitting humour. When you laugh, you are not laughing at Heller's finely crafted characters, with all their idiosyncrasies, but at yourself, your friends and relatives. Because Heller's situations mirror the daily stupidities that we all put up with, laugh about and cry about. Reading Catch-22 is like sitting through the main feature a second time - you know exactly what will happen next; you know that nothing can change it. You cannot help hoping that it won't be so bad. But, of course, it's worse.
43 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love it or hate it,
By
This review is from: Catch-22 (Paperback)
People I know who have read Catch-22 have:* Been unable to talk to me about it because they laugh when they're half way through telling me what it is they want to say Why do people love it? Because it is dark, surreal, immoral, subversive and hilarious. It gets away with it because Heller finds the perfect setting (a small island) in the perfect time (World War 2 - a dark, surreal, immoral time). But it all rings true because Heller was a WW2 airman himself. Why do people hate it? I can only speculate. Maybe it's because there is no traditional plot-weaving. Maybe because the chronology is all over the place. Maybe because the main love-interest is a whore. Maybe because it relies on being absurd. Its humour lies in words mainly so maybe people who don't find wordplay funny don't find Catch-22 funny. Everyone should TRY and read this book. Even if you do cast it aside and lament a waste of a week's reading after 200 pages. If you love it you will really love it. I did and it's led to me writing an amazon review - and I've never done that before. Just don't read the sequel.
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
American Classic!,
By
This review is from: Catch-22 (Paperback)
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. 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.
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