Catch-22: 50th Anniversary Edition

Oct 24, 2024 6:32 PM

Author:Joseph Heller

Explosive, subversive, wild and funny, 50 years on the novel's strength is undiminished. Reading Joseph Heller's classic satire is nothing less than a rite of passage.

Set in the closing months of World War II, this is the story of a bombardier named Yossarian who is frantic and furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. His real problem is not the enemy - it is his own army which keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service. If Yossarian makes any attempts to excuse himself from the perilous missions then he is caught in Catch-22: if he flies he is crazy, and doesn't have to; but if he doesn't want to he must be sane and has to. That's some catch...

Reviews

Never has a book been laughed and wept over so many times

—— Guardian

To my mind, there have been two great American novels in the past fifty years. Catch-22 is one

—— Stephen King

Catch-22 is the only war novel I've ever read that makes any sense

—— Harper Lee

The war novel to end all war novels

—— Independent

Blessedly, monstrously, bloatedly, cynically funny and fantastically unique. No one has ever written a book like this

—— Financial Times

Unforgettable

—— Sunday Times

Outrageously funny

—— Observer

Catch-22 is the greatest satirical work in English since Erewhon...remarkable... This is a book that I could wish everyone to read. It is a book which should help us feel more clearly

—— Philip Toynbee , Observer

The greatest satirical work in the English language

—— Observer

A wondrous book with many layers. When I first read it at 14 the story of war and passion really inspired me. It was like reading something in neon: everything came alive. As a teenager you start to feel the world is against you and I identified strongly with Yossarian and his dilemma. One of the funniest things I've ever read.

—— Nathaniel Parker , Daily Express

A real page-tuner

—— Mail on Sunday

He [Anthony] hooks you in with his deep, complex characters; he meticulously sets the scene

—— www.thebookbag.co.uk

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