Publisher Description

50th anniversary of Catch 22's publication. Yossarian lives!Explosive, subversive, wild and funny, 50 years on the novel's strength is undiminished. Reading Joseph Heller's classic satire is nothing less than a rite of passage.Set in the closing months of World War II, this is the story of a bombardier named Yossarian who is frantic and furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. His real problem is not the enemy - it is his own army which keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service. If Yossarian makes any attempts to excuse himself from the perilous missions then he is caught in Catch-22- if he flies he is crazy, and doesn't have to; but if he doesn't want to he must be sane and has to. That's some catch...

Notes

A new edition of Heller's classic novel which satirises the insanities of war, published to celebrate its 50th anniversary. One of the best novels ever written, it follows Yossarian, an American bombardier caught up in WWII, on an island off the coast of Italy. Based on Heller's own experiences, its title has become part of the English language. 'Catch-22 is the only war novel I've ever read that makes any sense' Harper Lee

Back Cover

'Catch-22 is the only war novel I've ever read that makes any sense' Harper Lee 'To my mind, there have been two great American novels in the past fifty years. Catch-22 is one of them' Stephen King Set in the closing months of World War II, this is the story of the bombardier named Yossarian who is furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. His real problem is not the enemy-it is his own army which keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service. If Yossarian makes any attempts to excuse himself from the perilous missions then he is caught in Catch-22: If he flies he is crazy, and doesn't have to; but if he doesn't want to he must be sane and has to. That's some catch... 'A masterpiece' Guardian ''The war novel to end all war novels' Independent 'Outrageously funny' Observer 'Unforgettable' Sunday Times 'Fantastically unique' Financial Times

Author Biography

Joseph Heller was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1923. In 1961, he published Catch-22, which became a bestseller and, in 1970, a film. He went on to write such novels as Something Happened, God Knows, Picture This, Closing Time (the sequel to Catch-22), and Portrait of an Artist, as an Old Man. Heller died in December 1999.

Review

Never has a book been laughed and wept over so many times * Guardian *
To my mind, there have been two great American novels in the past fifty years. Catch-22 is one -- Stephen King
Catch-22 is the only war novel I've ever read that makes any sense -- Harper Lee
The war novel to end all war novels * Independent *
Blessedly, monstrously, bloatedly, cynically funny and fantastically unique. No one has ever written a book like this * Financial Times *

Promotional

50th anniversary of Catch 22's publication. Yossarian lives!

Review Text

Never has a book been laughed and wept over so many times

Review Quote

Never has a book been laughed and wept over so many times

Promotional "Headline"

50th anniversary of Catch 22's publication. Yossarian lives!

Details