I didn't understand anything, but there are several good jokes in the style of Catch-22.

One such joke goes like this: A man goes to the doctor and says, "Doctor, I keep thinking I'm a dog." The doctor replies, "Well, sit down on the couch and we'll talk about it." The man says, "I can't, I'm not allowed on the furniture."

Another joke is about a soldier who is asked by his sergeant, "Why are you always so late for roll call?" The soldier replies, "Well, sir, every time I get up to come here, I remember something I have to do first."

These jokes, like the concept of Catch-22 itself, play with the idea of circular reasoning and the absurdity of certain situations. They make us laugh while also making us think about the strange and often illogical ways in which the world operates.

Whether you understand the jokes or not, they are a testament to the enduring popularity of the Catch-22 style of humor.

I am an extremely enthusiastic fan of Catch-22. So much so that I constantly recommend this book to everyone, whether they are willing or unwilling to read something new. One day, I randomly purchased it in a local bookstore without any prior knowledge at all (simply because I liked the title), and I immediately fell in love with it as soon as I started reading. Therefore, the existence of the sequel had bothered me: Catch-22 had a great conclusion and there was no need for continuation. The depressing reviews written by fans that I found here only increased my concerns. For this reason, Closing Time was put aside for quite a while, until it was finally time to close the gestalt.

In reality, my fears were unfounded. The book actually turned out to be okay. I can't call it a masterpiece, especially when compared to its predecessor, but it is still a solid work.诚然, the narration lost its chaotic and absurd nature, becoming more focused and linear, with the line between humor and seriousness being drawn more clearly. This fact may disappoint those who loved the original for its messy structure, but to me, these changes seemed natural given the theme.

While Catch-22 served as a critique of the absurdity of war, Closing Time felt like a reminiscence of the past on the verge of death. There is no longer any need for panic and worry - all that is left is to recall the memories, enjoy the present, and await the inevitable. This motif was especially evident in the first-person chapters, which tended to be more serious than the rest of the story. The critique part was still there, though, once again filled with typical sarcastic remarks and multi-layered jokes.

Also, I'm not sure if Heller intended it, but I felt as if the entire story was taking place in some sort of limbo, considering the constant references to Death in Venice, future predictions, and the free interactions between the worlds of the living and the dead.

I wasn't as invested in the sequel as I was in the original, but I still enjoyed it. As long as you don't expect it to be on the same level as Catch-22, you should be fine. It's a good book with its own themes and pacing, and, in my opinion, it doesn't deserve the hatred it receives. But, hey, give it a chance and see for yourself whether you like it or not. 3.5/5

Rewrite the article and expand it to 300 words:

Once again, the rating system disappoints us. I made the decision to pen a review for this book after realizing I had arbitrarily given it 3 stars. In truth, I vividly recall being deeply moved by this work. Isn't such profound impact worthy of a 5-star rating? Oh well.

A great many people have delved into Catch-22, and it rightfully receives a plethora of praise. This book, Closing Time, is both spiritually and literally a sequel to Catch-22, which is a bit peculiar, especially considering it was published over 3 decades after the original. In line with this time lapse, Closing Time focuses on Heller's generation as they have grown old and weary, with a cynicism that, if not more intense, is surely more refined.

Heller is often and justifiably grouped with Vonnegut as one of the masterful and distinctively American voices to emerge in the aftermath of World War II. A word about Vonnegut is in order here, as Heller and Vonnegut are, in many ways, like Yin and Yang of the same subject. While Vonnegut's books are highly amusing, it is often overlooked that there is a profound and genuine sadness within his work. It's not a sadness dulled by humor and pathos (though those elements are indeed interwoven throughout his work), but rather just sadness. It's not humor with sadness; it's humor and then sadness. Just like Heller's darkly comic moments, you laugh and then you remember the reason for your laughter, and you stop.

Such a dark and tragic book. It is truly astonishing to read Heller's words and realize how a writer can evoke a smile on one's face while causing tears to well up inside. The greed depicted in the story is simply heartless, leaving a profound impact on the reader. Heller is not only a great writer but also a remarkable thinker. He is a truly decent man who uses his words to shed light on the harsh realities of our society.

Reading this scorching book will open your eyes and make you more compassionate and insightful. It will shatter the little illusions we may have regarding the society we have created. It forces us to confront the uncomfortable truths and question the values that govern our lives. Through Heller's masterful storytelling, we are able to see the world from a different perspective and gain a deeper understanding of the human condition.

This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to expand their literary horizons and gain a greater appreciation for the power of words. It will stay with you long after you have turned the last page, leaving you with a sense of awe and a newfound respect for the art of writing.

I don't know what it is about Heller's books, but I'm not inspired to write reviews right away after reading them, unlike all the other books I've read. Lol.

Sequels are usually not as good, but I had such high hopes for this one because I really wanted to know what happened to Orr! But it turns out, we get a 40-year time skip and Orr never appears.

Once again, it's written in the same extremely cryptic and comedic style, and there are so many characters that it takes me until the end of the book to figure out who's who. I think Yossarian's outcome was a letdown, and Milo ended up even worse than I could have imagined. Their children were dull; in fact, their entire post-war life was uninteresting... which isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, it was hard to relate to their current lives, and I definitely no longer feel any sympathy for their situations. I just really want to know why Heller can't give the chaplain a break?!?!?! Hasn't this poor man been through enough??

It wasn't until his chapter that I understood the purpose of Tilyou, but I think his addition was very well done. I'm also extremely grateful for Sammy, who must be the only sane person in this story and made the book readable. It was a relief to read a perspective other than Yossarian and his associates'.

My favorite chapter was when Yossarian was in the hospital and everyone got to meet each other; it was a great way to tie up and end the story. But then it didn't end there. The actual ending made even less sense to me.

If you have been as charmed by Joseph Heller's Catch-22 as I have been,

I would find it hard to recommend this one to you.

For some odd reason, Joseph Heller has decided to be politically as incorrect as possible and be outspoken about all prejudices and biases he might have in this book.

That could be an earnest and innocent effort on his part to come out of the practice as an honest man who is, in the usual parlance of run-of-the-mill book-reviewing business, an iconoclastic author who is not afraid to talk about the 'taboos' etc.

Unfortunately, the end-result, for me at least, was quite different and I was bored, annoyed and disappointed while reading it.

However, all that could be ascribed to individual taste and many other readers might find the book an apt echo of the brilliant Catch-22.

I, regrettably, regret ever picking it up.

Perhaps others will see in this work what I failed to perceive. Maybe they will appreciate Heller's boldness in addressing controversial topics and his willingness to challenge the status quo.

It could be that my expectations were simply too high, based on the masterpiece that is Catch-22.

Nevertheless, for me, this book did not live up to the promise I had hoped for.

But who knows? Maybe with a different perspective or a second reading, I might come to a different conclusion.

Until then, I can only share my initial impressions and leave it up to each individual reader to decide for themselves.

I consider Catch-22 to be one of my all-time favorite books. So, when I learned that there was a sequel, my hopes were sky-high.

Closing Time takes us decades into the future, following the characters of Catch-22 and introducing some new ones. They are now back in civilian life.

The book does have moments of absurdity and convoluted-ness that remind us of those in Catch-22. It also offers some critiques of the society we know.

However, ultimately, the book feels flat and dragging. There just isn't enough actual plot to justify its length. It simply doesn't compare to the masterpiece that is Catch-22.

It's a disappointment, really, especially considering how much I loved the original. But perhaps it's unfair to expect the sequel to live up to the same impossible standards. Still, it's hard not to be a little let down.

Overall, while Closing Time has its moments, it falls far short of the greatness of Catch-22.

‘Closing Time’ is perhaps the darkest and most depressing book I've ever had the misfortune to read. So much so that I would be extremely hesitant to claim that I 'enjoyed' the experience. The truly depressing aspect, however, is that it was penned over 20 years ago, yet its vivid descriptions of the decline of society, the urban squalor, and the hypocrisy of capitalism resonate more powerfully today than ever before.

When compared to 'Catch-22', it lacks the same level of humor and has far fewer moments that make you laugh out loud. Although, surprisingly, the writing style is quite similar in terms of Heller's use of POV characters. However, it is significantly more difficult to read, with a cruder language. The book is alarmingly autobiographical, even more so than 'Catch-22'. It delves into some extremely morbid themes, and the writing is permeated with a tone of despair. It is truly sad to think that Heller wrote this just 5 years before his passing.

I was particularly touched by the opening chapter of the book. Without revealing too much, it features a character (Sammy Singer) monologuing about fading into history, poignantly containing Heller's own very thinly veiled sentiments. It's worth noting here that Heller, like many of his characters, served in the US Army Air Corps during World War II as a B-25 Bombardier.

At its core, 'Closing Time' is a scathing critique of society, much like how 'Catch-22' is a critique of war. Do give it a read if you have a penchant for nihilism, irony, and contemplating mortality, death, and 'The End' as the blurb so aptly describes it, all while feeling a bit guilty for being occasionally amused by the absurdity of it all.

It took me an incredibly long time to get through this book.

To be honest, it is nowhere near the humor and lightness that made Catch-22 so captivating.

I almost feel a sense of guilt, as if my poor rating is somehow a disservice to the wonderful characters of Catch-22 that once held so much life and charm for me.

But in this novel, they seemed to have lost their strength of character.

I had been anticipating something entirely different.

Something much more solemn, serious, and depressing than its predecessor.

Even all the little ironies and jokes that were supposed to lighten the mood came off as overly serious, which made many of the unbelievable situations in the book seem scary and overwhelming.

This is in stark contrast to the unbelievable situations in Catch-22, which were laughable in the most wonderful way.

In conclusion, aside from the returning characters, this book is really not comparable to its prequel and has truly let me down.

This was so incredibly boring that it truly turned into a chore.

I am quite certain that by the time I reached two-thirds of the way through, I was merely skimming it.

At this stage, I couldn't even begin to tell you if the writing was of any quality, but one thing was for sure, the ideas were definitely not up to par.

Even though I wasn't the most enthusiastic fan of 'Catch-22', at least I thought it was original and that kept me reading with interest.

However, with 'Closing Time', I was bored throughout the entire experience.

I simply couldn't get attached to any of the characters, the events, nothing.

It is just a series of events that seem to have little importance and are rather ridiculous.

'Catch-22' had parts that were really funny to me, but this one didn't have that same charm.

I will admit, though, that this one is more readable than 'Catch-22', but the problem is that nothing actually happens!

It lacks the excitement and substance that would make it a truly engaging read.

Overall, I was quite disappointed with 'Closing Time'.

It was an enjoyable read - but in all honesty, it wasn't truly essential.

When I initially learned that there was a sequel, I was over the moon with excitement. I have a deep affection for Yo-yo, M2, and all the characters who managed to survive the war.

However, once I finished reading it, I was left with this sense that it wasn't something I had really needed. The writing was of a high quality, and everyone's lives were just as absurd and filled with the same kind of impossible situations (Catch-22s) as in the original. So, I did have a great time reading it!

But as I previously stated, it was just unnecessary. The original book was a brilliant war satire, and this sequel sort of continued that theme with the new entity that they all become embroiled in. But ultimately, it's not much more than an update on the characters we already love.

It's a nice addition, but it doesn't quite have the same impact as the original.

Catch-22 was a confused mess in a good way. It had a certain charm and complexity that made it an engaging read.

However, this particular work was a mess in a bad way. It lacked the wit, story, and poignancy that were present in the author's earlier works. Reading it was a tough slog.

The only redeeming features were Sammie, Lew, and Claire's monologues. These were the book's only saving graces, providing some moments of interest and depth.

Unfortunately, Yossarian and Milo simply should not have been dredged up. Their appearances added little to the story and felt forced.

Overall, this was a disappointing effort that failed to live up to the author's previous standards. Blah.