Catch 22

Comic Book Guy

Hi all,

Downloaded this book after seeing it listed quite a bit on the 10 to read before the apocalypse.
Just 4 chapters in but does the satirical tone remain the whole way through the novel. Just finding it a bit of a slog or is it a thing that ya get into the more ha read?

Joe_ Public

It's a work of satire and surrealism so, yes, that's pretty much how it goes from first page to last. If anything, it gets more surreal the more the book develops. I was pretty much hooked from Page One so maybe it's just something you either get or you don't, I know plenty who have no time for it at all.

GLaDOS

Yeah if you're struggling to get through it, it's not going to get any better. Personally I absolutely loved it, but I can see why people would find it off-putting. It's a very divisive book!

Dirty Dingus McGee

I gave up on Catch 22 after 80 pages I couldn't take any more of it. Reading it felt like having to endure a really annoying obnoxious individual continually shouting the same joke at you and elbowing you in the side and saying "Funny, isn't it. It's funny this is isn't it" .

Harry Angstrom

I found it a bit of a curate's egg. It has its comic moments but it could've done with a good editor.

eric hoone

everyone has a different sense of humour but must say Catch 22 is probably my favourite, anyone else who liked it tried Confederacy of Dunces? even funnier in a similar vein

Conchir

eric hoone wrote: »

everyone has a different sense of humour but must say Catch 22 is probably my favourite, anyone else who liked it tried Confederacy of Dunces? even funnier in a similar vein

Confederacy of Dunces has been sitting on my unread bookshelf for a while, that might give me the push to finally go for it. Thanks!

IvyTheTerrible

Conchir wrote: »

Confederacy of Dunces has been sitting on my unread bookshelf for a while, that might give me the push to finally go for it. Thanks!

I loved Catch-22 but hated Confederacy of Dunces.

Conchir

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I loved Catch-22 but hated Confederacy of Dunces.

I won't be too optimistic then... and hopefully we disagree

Mr.Nice Guy

I nearly gave up on it during the first 100 pages or so but I stuck with it and was glad I did. I think there are very funny moments.

Harry Angstrom

Has anybody read its sequel Closing Time?

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Rumpy Pumpy

Catch 22 was the first book of 'cultural importance' that I just stopped reading. It set in trend a motion of not finishing books that I don't enjoy; life being too short to finish books that you don't enjoy.

One great joke, and one fashionable ideological trend, stretched over hundreds of pages of badly written prose.

Slattsy

Best book I've ever read.

I probably read it annually and it still gets me every time. Love it.

Harry Angstrom

Rumpy Pumpy wrote: »

Catch 22 was the first book of 'cultural importance' that I just stopped reading. It set in trend a motion of not finishing books that I don't enjoy; life being too short to finish books that you don't enjoy.

One great joke, and one fashionable ideological trend, stretched over hundreds of pages of badly written prose.

I did the same with On The Road. A book of pure and unadulterated crap.

Mr.Nice Guy

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

I did the same with On The Road. A book of pure and unadulterated crap.

Ha I also checked out on that one.