I’m not sure if it’s a talent or an affliction, but I’ve been blessed or cursed with a penchant for taking someone else’s creative work and extrapolating it to skewed extremes. This idiosyncratic trait has led to my yet-to-be-published collection of fan fiction, unauthorized sequels, and unique twists in perspective.

I first discovered this talent/affliction as a boy. I vividly imagined a fourth little pig who, with great ambition, leveraged himself to the hilt. He then built a luxurious skyscraper and, in YUGE block letters at its base, proudly labelled it Pig Tower. Interestingly, the Big Bad Wolf, perhaps out of professional courtesy (and quite possibly with the promise of kickbacks), agreed to a huff and puff waiver.

As a teen, I delved into writing a follow-up to Kurt Vonnegut’s classic, which I titled Slaughterhouse-Six. Set in a mirror image world, war was ravaging the planet Tralfamadore. Fortunately, the protagonist, Libby Mirglip, managed to survive the bombs and went on to live a varied if not full life after the conflict. She received aid from alien visitors from planet Earth who, through their own less enlightened example, showed her what not to do.

I’d prefer not to go into the details of one of my more recent works, Fifty-two Shades of Grey. If it’s ever published, it’ll likely be under an assumed name, or maybe names – I’m currently toying with the idea of S. and M. John. By the way, I noticed that some other joker stole my basic idea and technically beat me to the preferred number fifty-one.

This brings us to my latest creation, Catch-23. Since I’ve already explored an absurdist post-war account of tragedy/comedy with Slaughterhouse-Six, I wanted to avoid such a heavy/humorous theme this time. Instead, Catch-23 tells the story of a local seafood restaurant on 23 S. Washington St. in Naperton, Illinois. They gained fame for their Shrimp Yossarian. Then, a new executive chef increased the number of customers flocking through the doors by offering innovative dishes like Skate Wing Schnitzel a la Scheisskopf, Major Major Mahi Mahi, and Stuffed Oysters Orr-style. Naperton’s whore added some much-needed spice to the story. (As with any fan fiction, references will only be fully appreciated by those who are familiar with the original.)

Oh, and hey, there is a catch here. Against your better judgment, you continued reading each ridiculous example in this exercise of “one more.” Making it this far means you’ve read “one more” paragraph all the way to the end. The catch is that you must be crazy enough to perceive this as a payoff.

Грандіозна книга. Важка і смішна. It is a truly remarkable book. It has a certain weight to it, both in terms of its physical presence and the impact it has on the reader. And yet, it is also filled with humor that can make you laugh out loud.

Сатирична, сюрреалістична, трагічна... It is satirical, presenting a critical view of society and human nature in a humorous and often exaggerated way. It is also surrealistic, taking the reader on a journey through a world that is both familiar and yet completely different. And at times, it is tragic, touching on themes of loss, suffering, and the human condition.

Після прочитання неможливо залишитися \\"незміненим\\". Буквально перевернула мене. After reading this book, it is impossible to remain unchanged. It has truly turned my world upside down. It has made me think about things in a different way, and has opened my eyes to new perspectives and ideas. It is a book that I will never forget, and one that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a thought-provoking and entertaining read.

This book is highly overrated.

To be honest, it is simply bad.

Why do some individuals continuously claim that this is one of the greatest books of the 20th century? It remains one of the world's greatest mysteries.

If you desire to read a good war satire, then read Slaughterhouse-Five by the old man Vonnegut.

Although it is not the absolute best, it is surely at least two times (if not three) better than this strange Heller thing.

Vonnegut's work offers a unique perspective on war and its absurdities, with engaging characters and a captivating storyline.

In contrast, this other book seems to lack the depth and coherence that make a great war satire.

Perhaps it is time for people to reevaluate their opinions and give more credit to truly outstanding works like Slaughterhouse-Five.

The Worst Book I've Ever Read

I have had the misfortune of picking up the worst book ever. My dad had warned me that this book was lower on the evolution scale than a wet turd, but I thought I'd give it a try anyway. Oh boy, was I wrong! I hated this book with every fibre of my being. I truly hope that with any luck, the book will just crawl away and die.

The characters in this book were obnoxious, moronic gits. I actually found myself hoping that they would all meet their end at the hands of Jason Vorhees very soon. And there was no way I could ever connect with that idiot who was supposed to be our beloved hero. The dialogue was completely incomprehensible crap. It was pointless and baffling, leaving me wondering what on earth they were gibbering about and why each scene was even written. What was the purpose of talking complete nonsense page after page with no meaning or sense to it? I simply couldn't see the point in the story at all. It was with a sense of joy that I threw the book into the bag marked 'charity shop'. Then I found myself wondering what the poor charity shop had ever done to me to deserve receiving that book. How on earth this ever became a classic is a complete mystery to me. Maybe it's a classic piece of excrement.

I know that plenty of people love this book, and I'm happy for them. But it's just not for me, I'm afraid.

NB edited 2021

Oh dear, this is not a nice review at all! I wrote this review ages ago, and I admit that I don't write such ugly reviews now. I'm more restrained and fair in being critical if I don't like something. I'm rarely so mean in the reviews I write now.

Catch-22 is undoubtedly not the simplest book to read.

I truly had a hard time with its non-chronological structure and the large number of characters. One of the reasons I struggled was due to my lack of familiarity with armies and war.

Nevertheless, I did appreciate its absurdity, as well as the dark humor it contained. I felt that many parts of the novel were truly ingenious.

The way the author weaved together the complex plot and the various characters was quite remarkable.

Although it was a challenging read, it was also a rewarding one, as it made me think about the nature of war and the human condition in a different light.

Overall, I would recommend Catch-22 to anyone who is looking for a thought-provoking and unique reading experience.

After a long time of searching for a book with an anti-war theme, I finally succeeded and found it :)).

I was tired and hopeless from the search until one day I saw this book on the translation list of the publisher Chashmeh. The wait was quite long, but it was worth it :D.

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Observation 22:

War and flight with a warplane are dangerous. If a soldier is crazy, he might come and introduce himself and ask for an exemption from the continuation of the war. But a person who is crazy will never understand that war is dangerous, so in fact, he will never come to ask for exemption because of his craziness!

This Observation 22 has many more diverse forms and accompanies the reader throughout the book! :))

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The story of the book has a special atmosphere. Unlike Joseph Heller's Catch-22, which shows the dusty and bitter face of war, flight, and warplanes, the author of this book has been able to, with a special style, ridicule the face of war, the officers of war, and the greats of world wars to a certain extent, and at the same time, indirectly show the destructive effects of war to the reader.

The translator has done a very good job (unfortunately, there is censorship in the book). Considering that it is the first edition of the book, there is no mistake in it (of course, I don't have a degree and I'm just an ordinary reader, and I said this in general).

The value of the book is very high, and the title "Masterpiece" is completely appropriate. I don't give a description of the story of the book because you can live it line by line. I definitely and strongly recommend that you read this book, even if you don't like the theme of war and anti-war.

Everything about Catch-22 is absurd.

Absurdist humor, absurd names, absurd conversations, absurd situations - all of these elements come together to create a world where all logic and meaning have vanished.

What remains is the horror of war and the banal inanity of bureaucracy, which the mind struggles to process.

The only way to cope is to laugh at the absurdity, lest one descend into screaming madness.

This is the essence of Catch-22.

The absurdities in this brilliant, satirical novel are truly hilarious.

Heller takes every scene and conversation to an over-the-top level of ridiculousness, yet they still manage to reflect more realistic situations.

It's funny stuff indeed.

But beneath the surface of this humor lies the tragedy.

At first, you may barely notice it, but as the story progresses, it builds.

By the end of the book, almost all the characters you've been laughing at or with are tragically dead, and the goofy humor can no longer shield you from the fact that Catch-22 is a brutally tragic novel about the senselessness of war.

The structure of Catch-22 is a significant part of its brilliance.

The third-person omniscient narration allows for events to be described from the perspectives of many different characters, often repeating scenes from different angles.

Moreover, the novel is non-chronological.

It ends at the end, but doesn't start at the beginning, and the chronology is all over the place.

Separate storylines are out of sequence, and the timeline develops along with the plot.

While this unique structure adds dynamism to the storytelling, it can be challenging for some readers.

I highly recommend listening to the audiobook versions, as having the novel read to you can be a great aid to comprehension.

I endured approximately 60 pages of the book, but ultimately had to put it down. It is extremely rare for me to leave a book unfinished.

The author tells the story and introduces us to Yossarian, who has no desire to fly in the war. I understand that concept. I also understand the whole Catch-22 situation. You have to be crazy to fly the plane. If you can convince a doctor that you are insane, you won't have to fly. However, in order to tell a doctor that you are insane, it actually means you are sane. So, you must continue to fly, which in turn makes you insane. Blah blah blah.

What I couldn't overlook was the author's frequent bouts of what seemed like Attention Deficit Disorder. He would go off on tangents, introducing a new character almost every paragraph, and would seemingly lose his train of thought only to regain it two pages later.

I couldn't handle all the jumping around and was completely lost throughout the entire reading experience. At times, I would reread the previous page, thinking I had missed some important connection somewhere.

Am I the only one on this planet who is asking themselves what on earth everyone was smoking when they read this book and actually enjoyed it?

Heller's work is a masterful display of literary prowess as he expertly whipsaws the reader back and forth between hilarity and horror.

What he manages to convey is not just the stunning immorality of war but rather its utter absurdity.

When Clevinger accuses Yossarian of having disloyal sentiments that might give comfort to the enemy, Yossarian offers a profound and pragmatic explanation.

He says, "The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on. And don't you ever forget that, because the longer you remember it, the longer you might live."

However, the tragic irony is that Clevinger did forget, and now he is dead.

This simple yet powerful statement serves as a poignant reminder of the harsh realities and consequences of war.

Heller's use of such dialogue and events forces the reader to confront the true nature of war and question the values and beliefs that often drive it.

It is through this exploration that he is able to create a deeply engaging and thought-provoking narrative that lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned.

*3.5 stars*

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Sorprendido por una propuesta tan arriesgada, novedosa y transgresora. El protagonista Yossarian pasa al top de mis personajes de ficción favoritos, vaya tipo.

¿De qué habla la novela? En ocasiones, es pura comedia del absurdo al más puro estilo Ionesco o el propio Beckett. Tiene conversaciones tan graciosas como ridículas, pero sin duda con un objetivo final: ridiculizar la guerra y a los oficiales militares que la fomentan e idolatran, apropiándose de conceptos como patria, deber, el colectivo por encima de la vida propia, etc.

"-El comandante Coverley es una persona noble y maravillosa, y todo el mundo lo admira.
- Es un viejo imbecil, que no tiene derecho a actuar como un joven imbécil, ¿dónde está? ¿muerto?
- Nadie lo sabe, ha desaparecido.
- ¿Lo ve? Imagínese lo que es un hombre de su edad arriesgando la poca vida que le queda por algo tan absurdo como una patria".

¿Cuál es el gran aporte de J. Heller? Es la irreverencia total, la falta de vergüenza, ese absurdo al que aludía antes y que curiosamente encaja tan bien con la profundidad y seriedad del mundo militar. En ocasiones, también tiene toques de la comedia de enredo, con situaciones disparatadas y ridículas.

Hay muchas novelas antibélicas, pero lo que distingue a Catch-22 es lo temprano de la crítica a la guerra desde el humor loco y, en ocasiones, surrealista. Con la guerra de Vietnam, casi nació un género, el humor ácido, más serio... pero poco después de terminar la II Guerra Mundial, esta novela es muy innovadora.

Es una crítica feroz a la guerra, a los mandos militares donde prima la casta del escalafón de mando inútil, prepotente, que desprecia las buenas ideas de los mandos inferiores y, en especial, desprecia al culto o al inteligente.

**Title: A Review of "Catch-22"**

Catch-22 is a book that many consider important. While I concur with this view, I also believe it could have been more concise. The story delves into how lives are shattered when the wrong individuals are in power, the true nature of war not being a glorious adventure, and the absurdity of bureaucracy in general.

It is more of a satirical work than a funny one. However, as the story progresses with its nonsensical tales that seem to go in circles, the satire starts to lose its impact and adds little to the overall reading experience. This is just my personal opinion.

I am extremely glad I read this book because although most people are familiar with the term "Catch-22," not everyone may know its origin. The famous dialogue about Orr and the rule that if he wants to be grounded for being crazy, he has to ask, but if he asks, he's no longer crazy and has to fly more missions, perfectly illustrates the absurdity of the situation.

Despite my initial interest, the story's lack of forward momentum frustrated me. It seemed to be going sideways in a circle, and I quickly grew impatient. By the end of the book, which is not short, I was annoyed by everything from the dialogue to the characters themselves.

If you're a reader like me who expects a story to have a clear direction and progress in a reasonable amount of time, you may need to adjust your expectations when reading this book. Nevertheless, I'm not regretful for having read it and checking it off my bucket list.