Catch 22 by Joseph Heller

Gross.  This book was not for me.  I trudged through it to be able to put a mark next to it's name on the list.  I think this is a love it or hate it book.  I am in the hate it crowd. 

With that said, it was well done for what it is. 

Here is Catch-22.  If a person goes insane during war he can go home.  But he has to be declare himself insane.  But a person that would realize his life was in jeopardy and want to get out of the war because it is making him crazy is perfectly sane, and thus can't go home.

So what this book does is takes war and takes out the emotion of war and just makes it gross and vile, which I am sure war is, but Heller takes away all sense of patriotism and right and wrong and bases war on personal gain and carnal desire.  I had no idea that soldiers were so promiscuous.  OK maybe I had an idea but didn't want to think about it.  Let alone have it spelled out over and over.

I do see the merit it this book as a reference to the ideals of the 60’s when the idea of right and wrong came into such public scrutiny. 

I am glad when people refer to this book or the phrase Catch 22 I will at least know what they are talking about, but that is about it.