So, instead of me ranting of what’s wrong or right with the today’s reading materials and television programs, I will dole out a book that I think EVERYONE should read. Mostly because it truly is a true classic (That’s right, THAT’S HOW TRUE IT IS!). Some readers may have read it, others not. If you have read it, well… no harm in reading it again. If not, definitely add it to a summer reading list (I mean if the reader has one. It really is handy.)
It’s own meaning contradicts itself. Used in dialogue and text throughout movie and book history! That’s right! It’s Catch-22 by Joseph Heller! A novel for the ages and one that will be embedded in the annals of time (or at least those of the novels). I can say this because the name itself has been used in all forms of entertainment. For example:
Protagonist 1: …and that’s our plan, we’ll go around here do this that, and Kalamazoo with this. But, we’ll kazzoodle this just to oppose that thingamahoozits there.
Protagonist 2: So… it’s a Catch-22?
Protagonist 1: Precisely!
That contradiction at the beginning (well, in my own made up version of an contradictory plan) is what Catch-22 is. This plan will seem ridiculous. Only to have another say it’s a Catch-22.
Well, this is the catch of Catch-22. There is only one Catch and that is (of course) Catch-22 (Now this is where military Heller’s brilliant satire comes to play). Catch-22 deems that if you are sane enough, then you will be forced to fly more missions. BUT when the bombardier continues to fly more missions, he is deemed INSANE. The only way to be grounded from the missions is to ask. BUT The second you ask, you are deemed SANE and are sent back for more missions. So, in the short of it all, you win some, you lose some.
Here’s a bit of what the book is about (aside from the Catch). Meet Yossarian, the captain of a bomber plane in World War II during the Italian campaign. He does his duty well and does his country (America by the way) good. But, there’s only one problem. Yossarian doesn’t want to be a captain. Really, he’d rather be called a coward and be sent back home then be called brave and test fate as he bombs the enemy behind the lines. So, the whole story is of Yossarian trying to survive World War II and somehow escape it too.
This is a great book that I want to recommend to everyone out there reading this. Once read, and you enjoyed it, pass it along to others, that’s the only catch.
