Catch-22
First published 1961 · English · 443 pages
- Novels
- Historical fiction
- War
- Satire and humour
Catch-22 is a satirical novel set on a small Mediterranean island during the Second World War. Its hero, Captain Yossarian, is an American bombardier who wants only to survive, while his commanders keep raising the number of missions the airmen must fly. Around him is a crowd of memorable figures, from ambitious officers to a profiteering mess officer. The story moves back and forth in time, circling key events until their full meaning emerges. Heller turns the logic of military rules into a trap with no exit, and the title has become shorthand for such circular absurdity. Both very funny and deeply troubling, it remains one of the great novels about war and institutions.
Quotes
It was love at first sight. The first time Yossarian saw the chaplain, he fell madly in love with him.
Actually, the pain in his liver had gone away, but Yossarian didn't say anything and the doctors never suspected.
The Texan turned out to be good-natured, generous and likeable. In three days no one could stand him.
They're trying to kill me," Yossarian told him calmly. "No one's trying to kill you," Clevinger cried. "Then why are they shooting at me?" Yossarian asked. "They're shooting at everyone," Clevinger answered. "They're trying to kill everyone." "And what difference does that make?