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Anyone want to discuss Catch-22?

I've never read it, what's it about?

It's a satire about the army, set during WWII.

thisislissa wrote:Anyone want to discuss Catch-22?

Yes. Go.

I find the book a little difficult to sink my teeth into because it is so absurdist. How does one argue seriously about a book which refuses to take things seriously? It seems like the purpose of book is to nock down all our assumptions and show us how foolish they are, a laudable goal indeed. However looking closer what’s really being destroyed are just a series of straw men. Of coarse unbridled greed is a bad thing, of coarse the U.S. won’t be around for one million years, of coarse it is unfair and inglorious that some people are sent to die in wars while others are allowed to stay home. Yet I love this book, it is so clever, so funny, I believe it really is more than an easy straw man bashing satire, but I can’t put my finger on why. Any thoughts?

This is my father's favourite book so I grew up listening to him reading the funniest parts aloud. Sometimes he could barely stop laughing to get the words out. I'm glad you have mentioned this book as I haven't read it for years and I should do so again. I was in my early twenties when I first read it and twenty-five years or so later may give me a different perspective. Although so funny I think the more serious aspects of this book would be much more apparent to me now.

Kind regards

Claudibee

If I may stray slightly from the original thread:

Catch-22 is one of the most fun and depressing books I've read. So, as you may know, there is a sequel, Closing time.


Well, don't waste your time. Closing Time is possibly one of the worst books I've read this year (I am a 4th year English Student and literature fanatic, so I read many, many books). Anything remotely redeemable about this novel is lost in meaningless retrospect and scenes that are meant to be emotionally profound but end up devoid even before the punch lines hit. It's barely even a sequel. Heller uses Catch-22 like a touchstone, which in this case only makes Closing Time worse by comparison.

Don't read Closing Time!

thisislissa wrote:I find the book a little difficult to sink my teeth into because it is so absurdist. How does one argue seriously about a book which refuses to take things seriously?

The absurdity is what really attracted me to the story after I began reading. I think the tone I got from the book was that war is so horribly insane that people are forced find a way to cope with it and that can mean varieties of neurosis and the novel is an exaggeration of this idea.

Devin Patches wrote:Well, don't waste your time. Closing Time is possibly one of the worst books I've read this year

Good to know and that is what I figured. I've been tempted to buy this in the past and now I know I almost certainly won't.

I am glad you started this topic. This is in my 'too buy list' In fact whilst ordering from amazon last night I placed it in my basket, but ended up removing it when I saw how much I had spent. Now I know a tad more about it, I will make it a priority next time I am buying.

im actually reading it now, its funny so far but im only 100 pages in.

Catch-22 is one of those books that one can read over and over again, each time finding something new. It is not a book for everyone, just as the movie "Traffic" is not for everyone... For some, it is difficult to follow due to the absurdity of the writing. But, it is an excellent book, as it is both strangely comical and gloomy at the same time.

I find the book a little difficult to sink my teeth into because it is so absurdist.

Agree on the "absurdist" (in university I even wrote a paper about the absurd in Catch 22 and Slaughterhouse 5) but disagree on "difficult." I've read the book at least 5 times, probably more like 8 times. I think it's hilarious.

Just for a laugh, here's the paper. Reading it now is embarrassing, but hey, I got a B+!

http://cid-363076fdebc6e0d9.skydrive.li ... 214641.pdf

okay had never heard about it, but by going through the comments, i am tempted to give it a try. My next venture would be reading catch-22

I'd say Dunbar was the sanest person in that book. Yossarian was a nut.