Catch-22

6W Joseph Heller. London: The Reprint Society, 1963.

Notes

Catch-22, first published in 1961, is the celebrated satirical war novel by Joseph Heller. Set during World War II, the story follows Captain John Yossarian, a U.S. Army Air Forces bombardier stationed on a Mediterranean island, who is determined to survive the war while those around him remain trapped in a web of contradictory military regulations. The novel’s title refers to the absurd rule that a pilot can be grounded for insanity, but requesting to be grounded proves sanity and therefore disqualifies the request. Through dark humor and a non-linear narrative, Heller exposes the illogical bureaucracy, paranoia, and moral confusion that can arise within large institutions, turning the wartime setting into a broader critique of authority and power.

Joseph Heller (1923–1999) was an American novelist and playwright whose own service as a bombardier in World War II helped shape the experiences portrayed in the book. Drawing on these experiences, Heller crafted a novel that blends sharp satire with moments of genuine tragedy, capturing both the absurdity and the human cost of war. Although Catch-22 received mixed reviews when first published, it quickly gained a devoted following and became one of the most influential American novels of the twentieth century. The phrase “catch-22” has since entered common language to describe any situation defined by a frustrating or paradoxical set of rules.

Description 

Red boards with black spine and yellow label to spine. Gilt lettering to spine. Original wrapper. Fine condition.