Catch-22
“A hilarious satire that I couldn't put down. Definitely one of the funniest books I have ever read but it is so much more than just a normal comedy.
Set in the closing years of World War II an American squadron of B-25 bombers is stationed on a small island off the coast of German...”
“A hilarious satire that I couldn't put down. Definitely one of the funniest books I have ever read but it is so much more than just a normal comedy.
Set in the closing years of World War II an American squadron of B-25 bombers is stationed on a small island off the coast of German occupied Italy. The 'Catch 22' of the title is a military regulation which prevents airmen from being grounded. It says you can only be grounded if you are insane but if you approach a doctor and ask to be grounded you can't be insane. The commanders use this regulation as a way of keeping their reluctant bomber crews flying dangerous missions. In the squadron is Captain Yossarian a bombardier who won't play ball...
The novel is so brilliant I find it very difficult to describe it in a paragraph. There are so many characters and so many scenarios they have to deal with it is so much more than Yossarian's struggles with Catch 22. The satire is often dark and always funny. The absurdity of war and the insanity of fighting in them is so well illustrated it has to be one of the best war novels ever written (arguably the best) relentlessly funny and often poignant the genius of the book is that such serious content seamlessly fits into hilarity.
Here is a typical exchange between characters:
'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?' ”
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