Good as gold was just enlightening.

It was not just a simple realization but rather an epiphany on politics and human behavior.

This study truly offers profound insights.

It delves deep into the complex world of politics, uncovering the hidden motives and actions of individuals.

By understanding these aspects, we can gain a better understanding of how society functions and how power is distributed.

The study also provides valuable lessons on human behavior, highlighting the importance of integrity, honesty, and kindness.

These qualities are essential for building healthy relationships and a harmonious society.

Overall, the study is a remarkable achievement that offers a wealth of knowledge and inspiration.

It encourages us to think critically about the world around us and to strive for a better future.

If you have a penchant for the kind of humor and the incisive lampooning of the absurdity within bureaucracy that Heller so masterfully turned on the military in Catch-22, then you'll find some familiar territory when he sets his sights on the government in this book.

However, the pacing here is rather plodding, and it seems that none of the characters possess any redeeming qualities. Both of these aspects were quite frustrating to grapple with.

This book often veered too far from the light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek recognition of absurdity into the realm of outright nihilism, and that simply didn't sit well with me.

If you were a fan of Catch-22, you'll likely feel at ease with the humor and the rhythms of this book. But be prepared to perhaps have to push through the somewhat excessive length of the story.

It's a bit of a mixed bag, with elements that will appeal to fans of Heller's style, yet also with some drawbacks that might test your patience.

I take it Joseph Heller didn't like Henry Kissenger!

Quite a significant portion of this book is dedicated to a scathing attack against Nixon's Secretary of State. However, there is more to the book than just that. Gold's family can be a bit wearisome, especially his father and brother. But then again, family dynamics often tend to be like that.

There are some moments that will make you laugh out loud, similar to those in Catch-22. And this book is nowhere near as depressing as Something Happened. If the book is intended to be satire, it doesn't come across very effectively. The protagonist, Gold, comes across as whiny and overly self-pitying.

It's not a bad book, but it's not great either. And those endless parentheses! They made me want to pull my hair out! You get nearly three pages all in parentheses, and then Heller just continues the sentence. By that time, you've completely forgotten where he left off. It's an utterly infuriating style of writing.

I have very mixed feelings about this book.

I first read "Catch 22" during my college days in the late 1960s and firmly believed it was one of the finest books I had ever come across. Now, approximately 50 years later, I still hold "Catch 22" in high regard as a great book. However, I had no knowledge of Heller's later work until recently. I discovered this particular book and, upon learning that it was a political satire, I decided to purchase it. I thought it might be exactly what I needed to view the intensity of our current election from a humorous perspective.

Sadly, I have been let down both by this book and the outcome of our election. But this review is specifically about the book. It is about Bruce Gold, an English professor at a college in NYC. The book actually consists of two stories about Bruce. One is about his very Jewish family, and the other is a more satirical account of Bruce's attempt to secure a presidential appointment in Washington.

The story about the Jewish family is likely not to be very interesting or entertaining for non-Jews for several reasons. One particular reason is the overuse of Yiddish words and phrases without any interpretation. This part of the book seems to have been written solely for the benefit of other Jews who might identify with the family members. As a result, it is unappealing and not very humorous.

The political part of the book is typical of Heller, and the use of nonsensical double talk easily brings to mind the dialogue of Major Major Major and Milo Minderbinder from "Catch 22". When this type of conversation is used, the book can be quite funny. However, unfortunately, the humor is dated and has not aged well. I highly doubt that anyone who hasn't lived through the 1950s and 1960s will understand the numerous cultural and historical references made in the book. At one point, several slogans from old TV commercials are mentioned, which made me chuckle, but I'm sure anyone under 50 would have no idea what was being referred to. The book is outdated, and so is its humor.

Near the end, Bruce is involved in an attempt to have a sexual encounter with two women in adjoining hotel rooms. I felt as if I was reading a screenplay from an old Peter Sellers comedy rather than a serious political satire or even a not-so-serious one. Alas, the book failed to boost my political spirits or rekindle my political interests. The book might have been better received when it was first released in the 1970s, but now it doesn't have the same impact.

I truly desired to have a greater appreciation for this work. The reason being that Bruce, our main character, along with his comical escapades with friends, seemed to present some of the funniest content I had ever come across in my reading. Each time a segment emerged where he was scathingly criticizing his idiotic, self-centered, and overweight friend, I would eagerly consume it, laughing uncontrollably throughout. However, these moments of comedic brilliance were interspersed between lengthy and somewhat repetitive family-related passages. The underlying message in these family sections always seemed to be that his family was terrible and he despised them, yet there wasn't much deeper meaning beyond that. Similarly, Bruce's forays into the realm of politics also disappointingly fell into the category of being redundant and not overly profound. He quickly makes the point that politics is senseless, self-serving, and充斥着 incompetent sycophants, but he keeps harping on the same point, beating a dead horse to the extent that I began to wonder if I was somehow missing some new significance - but no, it was clearly the same, very much exhausted point.

Unfortunately, while "Catch 22" had moments of sheer brilliance, offering profound insights into existence, struggle, and war, "Good as Gold" never reaches those heights. Its critique of America, Jewish identity, and politics is rather shallow and fails to cross the threshold into the realm of brilliant observation. Additionally, the story meanders rather aimlessly, especially in the latter half.

Nevertheless, it is still the work of Heller, and he is still undeniably hilarious, so there is at least that redeeming quality.

Overall, "Good as Gold" has its moments of humor but ultimately falls short in terms of depth and coherence. It leaves the reader with a sense of disappointment, longing for the kind of profound and thought-provoking work that Heller is capable of producing.

Catch-22 is a truly remarkable piece of literature. It is written in a style that is both looping and ridiculous, creating a sense of hallucinatory and irrational narrative.

The story takes the reader on a wild and unpredictable journey, filled with absurd situations and characters. The use of looping and circular reasoning adds to the confusion and chaos, making it difficult to distinguish between reality and fantasy.

The ridiculousness of the events and the actions of the characters is both humorous and disturbing, highlighting the absurdity of war and the human condition. The hallucinatory quality of the writing makes the reader feel as if they are in a dreamlike state, unable to escape the madness.

Overall, Catch-22 is a wonderful and unique work of literature that challenges the reader's perception of reality and forces them to question the meaning and purpose of war and life.

I gave it 2 stars, and that's only because I couldn't rate Heller any lower. Sadly, this was a huge disappointment.

The main character is an absolute jerk. He has no redeeming qualities and is difficult to root for. His family and friends are no better, coming across as complete idiots.

The plot is equally unimpressive. It lacks believability, making it hard to suspend disbelief and get invested in the story. Additionally, it fails to be amusing, leaving the reader feeling bored and unentertained.

In my opinion, a good story should either be believable or amusing. This one manages to be neither, which is a real shame. I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately, it didn't deliver.

I picked up this book for free in a park in New York during my travels.

I took a quick glance at it in the car, but then I never bothered to pick it up again.

I have never been in the mood to read it. I made an attempt once, but I failed miserably as I just couldn't generate any interest.

Maybe one day in the future I'll give it another try, but for now, I'm putting it on the shelf.

Edit: After reading some reviews, I don't think this book is suitable for me or my age group. I will definitely not be picking it up again. Instead, I'll probably donate it to a charity book shop or a thrift book shop.

This way, someone else might have a chance to discover it and perhaps find it more interesting than I did.

I hope it can bring joy and knowledge to someone else.

Who knows, maybe it will become a favorite for someone else.

But for me, it's time to move on and explore other books that might better suit my tastes.

The best and most frustrating book I have ever read is truly a paradoxical experience.

On one hand, it contains such profound and captivating ideas that it has the power to completely engage my mind and keep me turning the pages. The author's writing style is often masterful, with beautiful prose and a unique way of presenting the story.

However, on the other hand, there are times when the book can be extremely frustrating. The plot may take unexpected turns that leave me scratching my head or feeling disappointed. The author may also introduce characters or concepts that I find difficult to understand or relate to.

As a result, I have a love-hate relationship with the author. I admire their talent and creativity, but at the same time, I can't help but feel a sense of frustration when the book doesn't meet my expectations. It's a complex and矛盾的 emotion that I'm still trying to sort out.

This book presented a rather complex reading experience.

On one hand, there were parts that were absolutely hilarious, which had me laughing out loud. It was as if the author had a magical touch that could tickle my funny bone.

On the other hand, there were sections that were completely frustrating. In particular, I found anything related to Gold's biography of Henry Kissinger to be incredibly tedious. It felt like wading through a thick mud of information that just didn't engage me.

But perhaps that was the point. Maybe the author intended to create this contrast to keep the readers on their toes.

In contrast, anything to do with Gold's myriad family members was always entertaining. Their stories added a touch of warmth and humanity to the book, making it more relatable and enjoyable.

Overall, this book was a mix of laughter, frustration, and entertainment, leaving me with a rather unique impression.

As always, Heller is super funny and always catches the reader off-guard.

However, this particular piece was a bit of a challenge to get through. The reason being that sooo many of the jokes were centered around 70s politics and Yiddish slang, which I have no awareness of.

Nonetheless, I truly loved the circular conversations with Ralph. These interactions were not only entertaining but also had a certain charm that kept me engaged throughout.

In fact, they convinced me that Heller is one of the best satirical writers on politics ever. His ability to take complex political issues and turn them into humorous and thought-provoking stories is truly remarkable.

Overall, despite the initial difficulty in understanding some of the jokes, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this piece and look forward to more of Heller's work in the future.

Maybe I'm just too dumb to understand, but this book was truly awful.

Full disclosure: I ended up skimming a significant portion of it.

I found myself hating every single character in the story. Their personalities were unlikable and their actions made no sense to me.

Moreover, the writing and the plot were also major disappointments. The prose was dull and lacked any sort of spark or creativity. The plot seemed to meander aimlessly, without any clear direction or purpose.

I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately, it just didn't work for me at all. I would not recommend it to anyone.