View Full Version : Is not Catch-22 the greatest book of all time?
Frank(Aflak)
19-01-2003, 23:20
I do believe that it is!
(i read it over the weekend)
HolyMasamune
19-01-2003, 23:47
It's a great book, but I've read better. But I have to give him credit for thinking of the idea of the catch-22 scenarios and making it into a book.
Frank(Aflak)
20-01-2003, 00:40
Its just so well written . . and so shockingly funny that when it turns grisly you are not at all prepped for it at go into shock and read the paragraph four or five times to make sure that it really says that another one bites the dust.
Still, perhaps there are better books, and probably I have read them, but right now Im infatuated with C22.
Catch-22 is not so much a book as a joke that goes on much too long. The humor redeems it, but it's definitely not the best book ever. Go read some of Heinlein's stuff. At least he can write more than one book that sells.
hixofthehood
20-01-2003, 09:35
I really enjoyed Catch-22, and am going to read it again this year. I recommended it to my friend, and he ended up reading it numerous times and buying his own copy.
It's definitely a great book.
And I don't believe an author should ever be criticized for the amount of selling literature he or she produces. To write a novel like Catch-22...that's something I would never be able to-gtg
Joe Matt
20-01-2003, 11:45
Catch-22 is my favorite book of all time.
Originally posted by hixofthehood
And I don't believe an author should ever be criticized for the amount of selling literature he or she produces. To write a novel like Catch-22...that's something I would never be able to-gtg
Consider that good books are written by good authors. Conversely, good authors write good books. Heller has written Catch-22. How many of his other books can you name off the top of your head?
GILLIGAN!!!!!!!
20-01-2003, 12:23
I have to agree with sr here, Heinlein is probably one of THE best authors of all time. I also have to give Vonnegut his "props" too, I loved Harrison Bergeron, it is a reall good short story, all of you need to read it.
D.J. Fluck
20-01-2003, 13:42
Originally posted by GILLIGAN!!!!!!!
I also have to give Vonnegut his "props" too,
Vonnegut is from Indiana :)
I read Catch-22 as my book report for my composition class this year and it was excellent! My dad said that Heller's other books inhale audibly though...
Joe Matt
20-01-2003, 13:48
Originally posted by srjjs
Consider that good books are written by good authors. Conversely, good authors write good books. Heller has written Catch-22. How many of his other books can you name off the top of your head?
Closing Time- the sequel to Catch-22. Loved it too, but not as good as Catch-22. Was very different in tone than Catch.
All I have to say is: Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
Frank(Aflak)
20-01-2003, 17:52
Originally posted by srjjs
Consider that good books are written by good authors. Conversely, good authors write good books. Heller has written Catch-22. How many of his other books can you name off the top of your head?
Something Happened, for one, although I have not yet read it. I plan to. I've heard its good. Catch-22 more than makes up for sucky books written. Note I said "book," not "author."
Originally posted by evulish
All I have to say is: Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
w00t ^____^
I agree.
Haven't read the book yet, but I love the ska band of the same name ;-)
Speaking of which...
*hits "9mm and a Three Piece Suit" on playlist*
hixofthehood
20-01-2003, 19:58
I don't know why you said Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
but w00t indeed.
I love the radio show as well as the books.
Jeff Waegelin
20-01-2003, 21:07
Originally posted by evulish
All I have to say is: Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
Interestingly enough, I found the humor in Hitchiker's Guide to be very similar to Catch 22. They both have the same element of random insanity.
If just being funny is enough to make something a good book, why not just nominate a book of jokes or random humorous anecdotes?
Being a good book is about more than just being funny.:eek:
Joe Matt
20-01-2003, 22:37
Originally posted by srjjs
If just being funny is enough to make something a good book, why not just nominate a book of jokes or random humorous anecdotes?
Being a good book is about more than just being funny.:eek:
But Catch-22 had a good stoy and lots of humor and class. It was above all else. I can't describe it, you'd have to read it.
I did, and I didn't think it was that great. It didn't really have much class either, at least not in the jokes. THe story was kind of :rolleyes:
Jeff Waegelin
21-01-2003, 09:15
I wouldn't say it was the greatest book ever, but I would say it's a good book. I enjoyed it, even if it wasn't my all-time favorite.
hixofthehood
21-01-2003, 18:49
Oh man, I thought the story was great. I thought that was the best part. Satire isn't my favorite humor, so I actually got more into the story. Of course, I still appreciated the humor.
Earl of the CC
21-01-2003, 18:52
This is my fifth favorite book, and that is quite an honor. (IMO)
Originally posted by srjjs
Consider that good books are written by good authors. Conversely, good authors write good books. Heller has written Catch-22. How many of his other books can you name off the top of your head?
By that logic, To Kill A Mockingbird and Catcher in the Rye must be some of the worst books ever written. After all, their authors must not have had any talent what-so-ever since neither of them wrote anything else.
As for Catch-22: absolutely amazing! I read it for AP US History sophomore year and have since re-read it. It's the kind of humor I love and has a decent story to go along with it. Sure, it gets a little slow at times, but the satire is some of the best I've ever read.
Originally posted by rbayer
By that logic, To Kill A Mockingbird and Catcher in the Rye must be some of the worst books ever written. After all, their authors must not have had any talent what-so-ever since neither of them wrote anything else.
Read Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters now.
Although I didn't like those either. Especially how everyone else seems to be totally in love with CitR, it's almost sickening.
If Catch-22 appeals to a certain person's sense of humor, then there's not really much that I can say. If the humor was the only reason it was good, then there's a problem. If you want a laugh, save your twelve bucks.
hixofthehood
22-01-2003, 06:24
Originally posted by hixofthehood
Oh man, I thought the story was great. I thought that was the best part.
Originally posted by srjjs
If Catch-22 appeals to a certain person's sense of humor, then there's not really much that I can say. If the humor was the only reason it was good, then there's a problem. If you want a laugh, save your twelve bucks.
hixofthehood
22-01-2003, 06:26
Originally posted by Earl of the CC
This is my fifth favorite book, and that is quite an honor. (IMO)
What are the first four?!!
(I already think I know)
Want great "in your face world!" reading? Look for Grendel by John Gardner. My senior english class hated it- I loved it. It's an interesting take on the old epic of Beowulf, told from the standpoint of a depressed monster. Good stuff if you ask me, then again, I also liked Catcher in the Rye and Farenheit 451.
D.J. Fluck
22-01-2003, 13:22
Originally posted by Marc P.
Want great "in your face world!" reading? Look for Grendel by John Gardner. My senior english class hated it- I loved it. It's an interesting take on the old epic of Beowulf, told from the standpoint of a depressed monster. Good stuff if you ask me, then again, I also liked Catcher in the Rye and Farenheit 451.
Im currently reading Beowulf in my English Lit class, and its funny how you can see that a priest finally wrote the story on paper with all of the religious references that did not believe in or know about in that time of the world ;) I think after I finish it Im going to read Grendel.
Farenheit 451 was an interesting to say the least....
GateRunner
22-01-2003, 18:49
I have to say that Catch-22 and Hitchhikers guide are two of my favorites not only because of the crazy humor, but because it seems to fit in with the story. Its not like "And all of a sudden a pitch fork sprung from the floor, skewering all three characters at once." (though it may have something close in Hitchhiker's guide, i remember a certain unfortunate whale)
Anyway, its not a compilation of jokes with no connection to each other, except maybe by chapter title(Chapter 5, Knock knock jokes)
Originally posted by D.J. Fluck
Farenheit 451 was an interesting to say the least....
Have you ever seen the really old, really bad movie of Farenheit 451? It is so ungodly horrible, if memory serves me right. Btw, I have read the book, and it was fairly good.
hixofthehood
22-01-2003, 19:10
Celsius 232.8 is a pretty cool book. It's one of the classics. I'm going to read it again soon.
Katie Reynolds
22-01-2003, 19:12
Never read Catch-22.
Never read Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
Never read Beowulf.
I need to start reading more!! :(
Fahrenheit 451 was definitely interesting. The Ender's Game quartet rules! :D C.S. Lewis is a good author. If you're looking for a good read, check out Screwtape Letters. It's a very interesting book. Then there is that book that Ashlee recommended I read ... it was also very good - but I can't remember the name. :confused: Maybe Ashlee will help out! :)
- Katie
Most of Bradbury is interesting- I've determined him to be one of my favorite authors- I've read Martian Chronicles, Illustrated Man, and various short stories, and all seem pretty cool. I find it cool because it's what he percieved as the future in the 40s and 50s, and here we are living in it right now. Granted, there's no rockets to Mars yet, but the general theme of Farenheit rings almost painfully true- people are buying more into mass media and standardization rather than intelligence and self awareness. *shrugs* maybe book burning isn't too far off- most people these days would rather watch "Friends" on TV than read classics like Shakespeare, Beowulf, or Catch 22.
Originally posted by Katie Reynolds
Never read Catch-22.
Never read Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
Never read Beowulf.
I totally agree. Oh wait, maybe you meant something else. :D
The Ender's game short story is so much better than any of the books.
GateRunner
23-01-2003, 19:40
I read the beginning of one of the Ender's game books(if there aren't more, well oops)
Sounded good, and I was gonna read more, but i got distracted with other things :)
Frank(Aflak)
23-01-2003, 20:08
heh, my Honors english class is reading Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, which is Hamlet told through the eys of R+G, the inseperable sponges who Hamlet has killed. . . . sounds like its really good . . . (my english teacher read it at a courthouse while waiting for jury duty . . . . laughed out loud every coupla minutes or so. He looks crazy enough without random laughs as it is . .)
and then, interestingly enough, we are moving on to Catch-22. haha, i can't wait to study it and go deeper than a pleasure read.
Katie Reynolds
23-01-2003, 20:22
Originally posted by Katie Reynolds
Never read Catch-22.
Never read Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.
Never read Beowulf.
Er ... that should have been:
(I've) never read ... :)
- Katie
Kristina
23-01-2003, 20:23
Wow, i'm having flashbacks of my sr. year ap lit class. Read catch 22, the idea was good but it was kinda drawn out for a lonnnnggg time so it was decent but I've read better.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern was a great play! First time you read it (you can finish it in an hour or two) you have no idea what just happened but it all makes sense eventually.
Other good plays that we read in AP lit were W;t and Equus. Definately check those out, they read really fast but are soooo good! We read a lot of novels too that year but the only one I really liked was One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
There's Kristina's short book reviews for now, as you can tell I'm big on reading...I was even an English Major for six whole weeks :)
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead sounds pretty interesting. Who's it written by? Maybe I'll give up on trying to read White Noise and read that instead.
Kristina
24-01-2003, 07:26
Originally posted by srjjs
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead sounds pretty interesting. Who's it written by? Maybe I'll give up on trying to read White Noise and read that instead.
Yes, definately read it! It's by Tom Stoppard who wrote the screenplay for Shakespeare in Love. It's kinda "Waiting for Godot" like but way better in my opinion.
Since it's late, I'm bored, and I have no class tomorrow...oh, and I'm going through English withdrawl, more book recommendations by moi: Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen, Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, Tender is the Night & The Great Gatsby both by Fitzgerald, and Blindness by Jose Saramago (new contemporary book if you haven't heard of it...really good!). IM me if you want details or more recs. I <3 reading
Originally posted by Doanie8
Yes, definately read it! It's by Tom Stoppard who wrote the screenplay for Shakespeare in Love. It's kinda "Waiting for Godot" like but way better in my opinion.
Wow, you just ruined it. I think I'll stick to my own schedule.
Frank(Aflak)
24-01-2003, 22:36
Originally posted by srjjs
Wow, you just ruined it. I think I'll stick to my own schedule.
I liked Waiting for Godot . . . . . . . . . . .
hixofthehood
26-01-2003, 09:46
I'm still going to read Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
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