over-the-top outrageous black comedy

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This one was a long haul, and it had me seriously reconsidering picking my books from "classic" must-read lists. This story is an over-the-top outrageous black comedy / satire that takes place near the end of WW-2 on and around an Allies airbase in Italy. All the ridiculousness of war and military operations, politics, and personnel are raised to the nth degree of zany. It took me over half way through before i actually could appreciate the message contained in this story. All in all, it was a little too over-the-top for my tastes, but as the story ends, it leaves the reader with a serious critique of war, politics, and the philosophy of swords and guns in the way our world operates. Serious haunting questions are contained within virtually every wild crazy part of this story. I see why it is on many must-read lists, and i can see how it has influenced other books, films, and television shows, namely M*A*S*H. I'm glad i read it, but i'm taking a break from the must-read lists for a while.

View all my reviews