The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
SUMMER CHALLENGE 2023
>
Group Reads Discussion - Catch-22
date
newest »
newest »
I have been meaning to read this book for a long time, and I always suspected I would love it. I am glad this challenge gave me a reason to read it now. I loved it even more than expected. The absurdity of the eponymous 'Catch 22' put me in the same headspace that reading Waiting to Godot usually does, leaving me feeling frustrated at the lack of control we have over our chaotic lives. Yossarian is helpless and at the mercy of his superior, just like Didi and Gogo are at the mercy of Godot. Except, Yo-yo finally takes his fate into his own hands, finally giving vent to the frustration I had slowly build up through the course of the book.
I'm glad I wasn't the first to comment - I've been putting it off - as I struggled with this, and was hoping not to be the lone reader. It's possible the book was meant to feel interminable, but although I can appreciate the ideas of the book, the reading experience was tedious, it was twice the length it needed to be, and I just didn't like it. Books with 'Big Important Messages' are often less fun to read, at least for me.
Mod
It's possible the book was meant to feel interminable, but ..."
If it makes you feel any better, for a long while through this challenge I thought I might be the lone reader as well! Ultimately I changed my choice of group read for the season, which took the pressure off sharing my thoughts somewhat.
Catch-22 is one of those books I've always felt I should read - it's always hyped up on "books you should read before you die" lists and my English Lit teachers positively raved about it - but in the end I didn't take to it and it ended up being a DNF around page 60 or so. I'm sure there must be an incredibly important message to take away from it, but it got lost beneath my frustration of wondering what the heck was going on.
Maybe it's a case of wrong book, wrong time and I'd get it if I were to try again in, say, five years.
I didn't read this for this season either. I read this when I was young, during the Vietnam War, which I think made it more relevant. I also had more patience then for long books. And probably because I hadn't read other books like it, I found it worthwhile. I might feel differently now.
Jayne wrote: "Catch-22 is one of those books I've always felt I should read - it's always hyped up on "books you should read before you die" lists and my English Lit teachers positively raved about it - but in the end I didn't take to it and it ended up being a DNF around page 60 or so. I'm sure there must be an incredibly important message to take away from it, but it got lost beneath my frustration of wondering what the heck was going on.."Exactly.
It didn't help that almost all the characters were horrible.
The requirement for task 20.10: You must participate in the book's discussion thread below with at least one post about the contents of the book or your reaction to the book after you have read the book.