I don't get it!

[Candy]

To really enjoy this book I think you have to remember the time period it is from. Today's attitudes are much different that the climate of the 60's and 70's when this book was a hit. The cynicism is enlightening but also funny. It might also help to be in the military. My Dad loved this book as he was in the Air Force.

[Candy]

Steve wrote: "When I saw there were people who didn't "get" it, I thought there must be something wrong with them. I looked up the other books for one of those people, and her favorite thing was romance. Then I ..."

Rajat wrote: "I completely agree with the readers who have found the book difficult. I found it confusing after a few pages and could not continue. But going by some of the reviews given here seems like a second..."

Agreed. This book is cynical and sarcastic. It is about being in an institution that you can't win against and don't understand but are forced to join anyway. - Remember this was when being in a war was not optional as it is today. These guys had to go and had to put up with whatever nonsense and horror was thrown at them. It is a classic because it portrays the horror set against the natural human tendency to try and find humor in the most dark situations in order to survive and retain your sanity.

[Phleabas]

Well, I'm going to read it and see how good the book is in comparison to the film.

By the way, there's a very funny book - Emigrating Home - available for free today on Amazon Kindle http://www.amazon.co.uk/Emigrating-Ho...

[Collin]

interesting points everyone, though I found myself more interested in what Joseph Heller says about it so I found an interview of him. Very interesting, though I still didn't care for the book.

[Manjunath]

Alissa wrote: "Persist, you chronologically-trained monkeys! This book is pure genius. Read it, and then read it again. If you can't get through it, go read "The Da Vinci Code" and then throw yourself off a cl..."

Bow down to this master...
It's not a book but a revelation...
It's something so profound that you shudder..
Heller wanted the world to see the cruelness of Capitalism, so he created Milo Minder Bender.
He wanted us to hear the sobs of human in dire circumstances, he created Daneeka.
He wanted us to see the naivety of humans, he created Nately and his whore.


He wanted God to see the fun of Human Transformation and He created Yossarian (with lots of suspicious SSS)

[Thom]

To me this is one of the greatest books ever written!

[Craig]

I've just finished it and I want to read it again, I thought it was fanstastic. I think you can relate so much to the situations and circumstances in everyday life and at the same time Heller makes you laugh so as not to relate to it too much to prevent the reader from getting depressed.

[JJ]

This book is one of my all time favorites for so many reasons. It's a cynic's paradise: it's funny, it's dark, it's witty, it's obscene, and it's essentially very true.

Events and chapter organization seem random and senseless (e.g. the prostitute who threw her shoe at Yossarian); they really aren't. Each small bit builds up the whole giving the twists and the overall themes that much more impact.

[Frank]

I was laughing out loud through a good portion of Catch 22. I was at the doctor's office practically rolling on the floor. I was afraid they were going to try to commit me.

[Harley]

Jacqueline wrote: "Ah - but you can do something about it! Appleby (forgive me if I have the name wrong - I'm too lazy to look it up) planned meticulously and then got into his little dinghy and paddled all the way ..."

This is a little late, but it was Orr who rowed to Sweden, in the life raft after he crashed into the sea once again. His plan all along. I had to look this up, by the way.

[Jeri]

I got it, OVER and OVER and OVER, but I didn't really like it. To me this book was extremely repetitive and tedious. I had been looking forward to reading it after hearing so many great things about it, but I found it to be highly overrated IMHO. I think a short story about this theme would have been perfect.

[Eva]

When I finished the Catch-22 for the first time (more than 2 decades ago) I started from the beginning again right away. I loved it so much. On the other hand I had problems reading other Heller's novels. btw the film is not bad but it's only a film.

[Thom]

I agree with your assertions about Heller's other novels. Catch 22 was the product of divine inspiration.

[Will]

I think it translated poorly to film, but that's just me.

[Tom]

Will wrote: "I think it translated poorly to film, but that's just me."

I couldn't agree more, I hated the film. I imagine if it was made into a high budget TV series (along the line of game of thrones and such) it could work well if each few episodes focused on a single characters narrative.

[Cathy]

Will wrote: "I think it translated poorly to film, but that's just me."

It was a terrible movie. It was a brillant book. Can't remember the reviews it got when it came out but bet they weren't good. MASH, the book, was lousy, in my mind, however, the movie great. Just the opposite of Catch-22.

[GoAskPerl]

It's one of those Vonnegut-type books. If you like Vonnegut, you'll like Catch 22. I really don't like reading Vonnegut and I wasn't a fan of Catch 22 either.

[Cathy]

Thom wrote: "To me this is one of the greatest books ever written!"

Thom: Looks like it, eh? It's an old book and we're still talking about it. Must be something there.

[Cathy]

A. wrote: "Every now and then I get the urge to scrawl "Yossarian lives!" on a bathroom wall.
I haven't done it. I don't do graffiti. But I still get the urge. :)"

Funny, very funny. But would people who use the bathroom even know who Yossarian is?

[Thom]

How many Yossarians have you ever known (or read about)?

[Will]

Cathy wrote: "But would people who use the bathroom even know who Yossarian is?"

I'm pretty sure even fans of this book have to eject bodily wastes.

[Cathy]

Yeh, but wonder today how many people have read the book? Yes, agree, we all use BR but how many people know where the name comes from who uses that BR. The BR which should not be covered with graffiti in the first place.

It was read a lot when it came out, but my guess would be fewer people read it today. But maybe I'm wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.

[Rox]

Alissa wrote: "Persist, you chronologically-trained monkeys! This book is pure genius. Read it, and then read it again. If you can't get through it, go read "The Da Vinci Code" and then throw yourself off a cl..."

I do wish goodreads had a 'like reply' button.

[S.J.]

IMO, if you're not enjoying the ride, then don't read for the ending, especially with Catch-22. I love this book, but I love every minute of reading it, too. I just find the humor wonderful and surprising and unique. If you're not having fun reading, it's probably not the book for you.

I will say a lot of things tie together in very surprising ways, but again, if you don't enjoy it page to page, it won't be worth it for you to reach those parts.

[M.G.]

Humour is best when it is subtle. If a writer keeps hammering home the same. damn. point. over. and. over. it stops being funny. I gave up half way through. There is no genius here, just a writer who couldn't figure out that "less is more".

[David]

This is my favourite ever novel. Read it as part of my English degree at Liverpool Uni. Definitely a book I'll read again!

[Satyaanveshi]

Alissa wrote: "Persist, you chronologically-trained monkeys! This book is pure genius. Read it, and then read it again. If you can't get through it, go read "The Da Vinci Code" and then throw yourself off a cl..."

'... go read "The Da Vinci Code" and ...' - ROFL!

[Alex]

It's been 40+ years since I read this, but it still sticks in my memory. With the risk of death imminent, one of the guys engages in the most boring activities he can think of, thereby slowing down time. Fondly remembering Milo Minderbinder, Major Major, Dunbar, General Scheisskopf, and Yossarian.

[Terri]

I couldn't get into this book. I tried. But I'd seen too many seasons of M*A*S*H -- Max Klinger must have been based on the main character in Catch-22. To the folks who didn't "get it" -- if you understood M*A*S*H, you'll understand this book.

[Thom]

Terri I must disagree.... M*A*S*H and Catch 22 are two entirely different. The one is based on arrogance and the other survival.

[Jennifer]

Alissa wrote: "Persist, you chronologically-trained monkeys! This book is pure genius. Read it, and then read it again. If you can't get through it, go read "The Da Vinci Code" and then throw yourself off a cl..."

Alissa, well said! I was thinking the exact same thing!

[Cathy]

You guys are really passionate about this book and that's a good thing.

[Mackenzie]

I didn't like this book for about a month after I finished it. At first I kicked myself for wasting all of that precious reading time on this book. Then I started to think about it. I thought about the characters, the plot, the messages. References to this book, such as the Washington Irving (Irving Washington) and others, started to appear in my daily conversations, thoughts, and writing. It took me a while to realize it, but realize it I did: this was one of the best books I have ever read. Because of this epiphany, a copy of Catch-22 sits proudly among the few other books that I have deemed as my favorites.

[Will]

For some reason, this one just clicked almost immediately for me. It took probably about 50 to really get used to the writing (the first few pages I found myself re-reading paragraphs to make sure I wasn't missing something), but once I got a feel for the prose, I fell in love. To this day, there hasn't been a book that's come close to evoking such a wide variety of emotions from me. From laughing out loud, to actually crying, this book has moved me like no other book has.

[Nyxeka]

Jake wrote: "Yeah. Really, if you don't see the genius of Catch-22, you're really not doing the world any good at all. There are two types of people in the world: Those who like Catch-22, and James Patterson re..."
There are also programmers: You know, those people who greatly appreciate logic and perfection...

[Cathy]

Mackenzie wrote: "I didn't like this book for about a month after I finished it. At first I kicked myself for wasting all of that precious reading time on this book. Then I started to think about it. I thought about..."

Mackenzie: Thanks for sharing that story. Really a very cool story. Very cool.

[Mind]

I had a hard time getting started with it, but it is worth the trouble. The deeper you get the funnier it is---until Heller brings into focus what you are laughing about, when it becomes profound and absolutely unforgettable.

The movie did not do it justice, although it tried.

[Philip]

Simply my favourite book of all time. I have read it six or seven times and it's due another re-read. I read my sister's copy when I was a teenager, then again a couple of years later before I joined the military, and yes the satire elements worked more. Over the years I have read it again when I have changed career or just wanted something else. Parts of the film are good others miss the point completely. Big business always reminds me of Milo. I like satire, I like poking fun at authority. I understand that many readers don't like confusing timelines especially in books with large casts. Catch-22 is worth the persistence, but if it doesn't float your particular boat then I understand there are plenty of other GoodReads to try!

[William]

Those of you who "did not get it" were probably never in the military service. Believe it or not, the book is very accurate.

[dalgo]

Eva wrote: "When I finished the Catch-22 for the first time (more than 2 decades ago) I started from the beginning again right away. I loved it so much. On the other hand I had problems reading other Heller's ..."

This is my all-time favourite book. When I finished it the first time I also started reading it again straight away. I couldn't figure out how a book that started off as hilarious comedy ended up as a strident anti-war novel.

[William]

Dalgo wrote: "Eva wrote: "When I finished the Catch-22 for the first time (more than 2 decades ago) I started from the beginning again right away. I loved it so much. On the other hand I had problems reading oth..."

If you think that Catch-22 starts hilarious and ends up poignant, try William Styron's Sophie's Choice. The first seventy pages or so will have you rolling on the floor; the last four hundred will tear you in shreds.