Explosive, subversive, wild and funny, this classic satire by Joseph Heller remains as powerful today as it was 50 years ago. Reading it is nothing less than a rite of passage.
A Story Set in the Closing Months of World War II:
The novel follows Yossarian, a bombardier who is frantic and furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him.
However, his real problem isn't the enemy—it's his own army. They continually increase the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service.
The Iconic Catch-22:
If Yossarian tries to excuse himself from the perilous missions, he is caught in the infamous Catch-22:
If he flies, he is crazy and doesn't have to.
If he doesn't want to fly, he must be sane and therefore has to.