"Have You Read Catch-22?" Topic

Have you read this satirical novel by American author Joseph Heller?

Yes, many years ago.

Of course. It was on the banned book list, which became my high school reading list.

Yes. Several times.
There there.

Yes.

It's a meh+ or so.

I was kind a young when I read it and then when I could appreciate it fully, it never clicked for me. And I am a decent fan of satire.

Tried. Never could get into it

No but I watched the Saturday morning Cartoon during the 70's and I have all the action figures even the B-25.

Yes. It was…okay.

Yes

Yes. Not his best work. But then, none of his works
were…

Yes. It's how my life seems to run, too. Yossarian is a Saint to us Discordians.

No.

Yes.

I saw the movie when I about 13, and really didn't get it. Then I read the book at about age 16 and really did get it. Institutional absurdity was one of the themes of my high school. Then I saw the movie again in college and loved it.

back in the 70;s

Several times.

Yes, many years ago.

Nope. My Dad ( A Navigator on B-24 in Ww2) took me to see the Movie and we left 1/2 way through. He said it was a piece of Crap and after seeing it later In life I had have to agree with him.

No, had better things to do with my time!

Yes, it was one of our set books at school.

Who on earth put it on a "banned" list????

For those of you who saw the movie, try to forget as much of it as possible and then read the book. And then Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse Five" while you are still in the mindset for non-sequential stories. Both are less about war and more about philosophy using war as the medium.

Yes.

Yes, at least 6 times over the past 40 yrs.

Daithi +1

Yes, in college, my lit professor was crazy over it. It was alright, nothing I'd want to read again.

Back in the early 80s. Saw the film too. It'd probably be different if I re-read it now.

Wyatt

Yes, school assignment. Waste of time and probably the worst book I've ever read.

Yes. But wasn't this asked recently? Hmm, if there were a search function…

Vagamer63, so you don't read any novels?

Yes, quite some time ago. Saw the film later.

Many, many times. Heller is one of my favorite writers and his body of work is really outstanding. Catch 22 was great, but my favorite is God Knows. Great stuff!

Nope and don't plan on reading it.

In high school, movie doesn't do it justice

Yes, I enjoyed the satire on institutional insanity, but found it's relationship to war (or anti-war as we were assured it was) tangential at best.

Saw the movie but did not read the book.

It was influential in my college days. The only two things that stuck with me were the airman cut in half by his friend's propeller and Major Major Major. Institutional madness indeed,.

A long long time ago … Saw the movie too …

It did put the term "Catch-22" in the US jargon/lexicon I'd think …

Yes in the 1970s

Like so many here (we are clearly an elderly bunch) I read it over 40 years ago, inn the 70s. Got the point but thought it took far too long to get to it. The only good thing about the file was watching B24s flying.

Yes, years ago.

We read it in High School. I then read it several years later and appreciated it much. And yes, saw the film as well.

Yes. On a train. Very long journey.

Yes. Enjoyed it.

Some may be surprised to learn that it was mandatory reading in freshman English taught at the US Air Force Academy back in '80s. The author was invited to the Academy and made some rather humorous comments on how we spent 45 minutes of our lunch hour forming up and marching to the cafeteria. By the time we eventually sat down to eat there was only a few minutes left until classes started again. He saw the irony in things.

I've had to do reports on it on various courses I've been on in the past. Ended up hating it possibly not the first time but after several compulsory repeats dislike develops.

x42

I recall reading at the time the movie was made that virtually every flyable B-25 in the world was in it. True or not seeing them was great.

Yes, but quite a few years back though.

Yes. And Slaughterhouse Five and Castle Keep.

The planes are B-25 Mitchells, not B-24 Liberators.

Never heard of an animated adaptation of it before,Cosmicbank.

Read it a couple years after being in the Air Force. Couldn't stop laughing at how things hadn't changed any 40 years later in the AF.

Nope. I read Slaughterhouse 5 and fail to understand how it is "critically acclaimed." I found it to be a waste of time that I kept hoping was going to get better.

yes