"Catch-22" - 50th Anniversary Edition by Joseph Heller (Author) and Christopher Buckley (New introduction)

Perhaps one of the most recognized cornerstones of American literature, Catch-22, written by Joseph Heller, presents a comic and downright absurd story which revolves around Yossarian, a pilot who not only has to deal with hundreds upon hundreds of men trying to kill him, but also with his own army. 

Things get more and more absurd as the amount of missions he must serve keeps on increasing and increasing with no end in sight. Perhaps the most ridiculous concept of this book is the catch-22 itself; in this case, it is a bureaucratic rule according to which a man is considered to be insane if he willingly continues to go on dangerous combat missions… but if that man makes a request to be removed from duty, then he proves himself sane and can therefore not be relieved.

While the book itself is downright funny at times, it still moves at somewhat of a slow pace, not to mention that the descriptions are abundant, which is an understandable turn-off for some people. 

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (Book cover)

However, if you do not mind reading through a bit of fluff, you will be treated to one of the most exquisite works of literature in existence as you follow a hero whose world seems to turn on him more and more with every chapter. By the end of it, you will be wondering who is really the enemy out there as Yossarian’s army is giving him much less respect than his enemies. 

All in all, a funny and exciting read which explores some very interesting concepts when it comes to not only war, but bureaucracy and human nature in general. A 50th anniversary edition has been released in April 2011 and it contains a new introduction by Christopher Buckley, numerous critical essays as well as reviews Alfred Kazin, Anthony Burgess, Norman Mailer, and many others.

The edition also includes numerous personal papers and photographs from Heller’s archive. Keep in mind however that the 50th anniversary edition hasn’t been released on Kindle yet, so you will need to order the paperback or the hardcover formats in order to get it.

Joseph Heller (May 1, 1923 – December 12, 1999)

Joseph Heller
(May 1, 1923 – December 12, 1999)

Born in Brooklyn in 1923, Joseph Heller has become one of the most prominent figures in the world of literature, blessing readers with original and intelligent novels, being responsible for timeless works such as Catch-22 and Good as Gold.



Comments

  1. Harivansh Rai BachchanSeptember 1, 2013 at 11:55 AM

    I always laughed when i read this book
    Yossa became my favourite. In fact, every character of this book is memorable. Yossa, Doc, Milo,Major Major, Dunbar, Joe...everyone.
    The books is all about paradoxes and opposing terms.
    Awesome experience i had.

    ReplyDelete

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