Catch-22

Catch-22 is still regarded as a classic of American literature and one of the funniest and most beloved novels of all time, even after fifty years of publication. It has appeared on lists of the "best novels" published in recent years by Time, Newsweek, the Modern Library, and the London Observer.

This World War II tale, set in Italy, centers on Yossarian, the legendary, deceitful bombardier—a hero who is enraged by the hundreds of people he has never met who are attempting to assassinate him. However, his own army is the true issue, since it continues adding missions for the troops to fly in order for them to finish their duty, not the enemy. However, Yossarian will be breaking a hilariously sinister bureaucratic rule known as "Catch-22" if he tries to absolve himself of the dangerous missions he's been assigned. This rule states that a man is deemed insane if he voluntarily continues to fly dangerous combat missions, but if he formally requests to be relieved of his duties, he is deemed sane and cannot be relieved.

Joseph Heller's masterwork is honored in this 50th anniversary edition with rare documents and images from Joseph Heller's personal collection, a fresh introduction by Christopher Buckley, and a plethora of critical articles and reviews by Norman Mailer, Alfred Kazin, Anthony Burgess, and others. The ultimate version of a timeless work of global literature is now available here.