The timeless quality of Catch-22 (again)

[Richardo]

I just got done re-reading Catch-22 for the mumble-mumbleth time. Something different strikes me each time I read it. This time, it was the following exchange:

"These are very critical times," Colonel Cathcart asserted petulantly from a far corner of the office...

"Hasn't he got any patriotism?"

"Won't you fight for your country?" Colonel Korn demanded, emulating Colonel Cathcart's harsh, self-righteous tone. "Won't you give up your life for Colonel Cathcart and me?"

Yossarian tensed with alert astonishment when he heard Colonel Korn's concluding words. "What's that?" he exclaimed. "What have you and Colonel Cathcart got to do with my country? You're not the same."

"How can you separate us?" Colonel Korn inquired with ironical tranquillity.

"That's right," Colonel Cathcart cried emphatically. "You're either for us or against us. There's no two ways about it.

"I'm afraid he's got you," added Colonel Korn. "You're either for us or against your country. It's as simple as that."

"Oh, no Colonel. I don't buy that."

Colonel Korn was unruffled. "Neither do I, frankly, but everyone else will. So there you are."

----------------------------------------
Catch-22 was published 42 years ago in 1961. If by chance you have not read it - start now. You will not be sorry.

[Brucey]

1. I read it years ago and fell out of my chair laughing!

[TacticalPeek]

2. A top read.

cf.

PATRIOTISM, n. Combustible rubbish read to the torch of any one ambitious to illuminate his name.

In Dr. Johnson's famous dictionary patriotism is defined as the last resort of a scoundrel. With all due respect to an enlightened but inferior lexicographer I beg to submit that it is the first.

Ambrose Bierce, "The Devil's Dictionary"

http://www.alcyone.com/max/lit/devils/

[RandomKoolzip]

3. Call me weird, but I prefer the movie to the book.,..

I've always thought that the film version of "Catch 22" was one of the most greatest, but most underrated films of all time. I bet it was because there were simply SO many great movies coming out around the same time, and that it was released a year after "MASH", that it was somewhat lost in the shuffle. Simply an amazing film. Alan Arkin deserved an Oscar for this performance.

Oh, and Oscar Welles' cameo is hilarious, too... "you mean I can't shoot whoever I want?"

[FlashHarry]

5. Bob Balaban was hilarious as Orr.

Always ditching his plane in the drink to 'practice.'

[CanuckAmok]

6. I agree...one of the few movies better than the book

...I enjoyed the book, but I'm not crazy about the mechanics of Heller's writing style.

The movie, on the other hand, is amazing. Alan Arkin (as usual) is magnificent, as are the rest of the ensamble (even Art Garfunkel!).

I can't think of another movie, except maybe Slaughterhouse Five, which captures so well the offputting fever dream of warfare!

[Tyler Durden]

7. The scene where Paula Prentiss switches bottles is priceless.

By the way, you don't look like a 57 year old potatoe in a trick suit, do you.

"It's the worst street in town, it's so bad!"

[RandomKoolzip]

10. But I'm a rumple kind of hero to my wife and kids!

And I run my siren just for company!

"Good news, boy; Klong wasted...THE PUSSYCAT!"

[Tyler Durden]

11. "Jump on those hookers good now!'

RRRrrruff! Ruff!

[RandomKoolzip]

12. "Tell it to the Xmas bunny, kid!"

Billy Jack Dog Food...the kind Billy Jack likes!


This is awesome; nobody but us two knows what the hell we're talking about!

[Tyler Durden]

14. PEGGY, YOU ACT POLICE OR I'M BUSTING YOU BACK TO 3-WHEELERS, BABY!

But RANDOM, he's your OWN SON!

I can do this to Roller Maidens from Outer Space, too.

[GOPisEvil]

4. Ya know, this used to be comedy...a farce...

...now it's all real...:cry:

Edit - it is a fantastic book, and a great film.

[Richardo]

9. I'm hip, brother man...

While still funny throughout ("Atheism is against the law, isn't it?") a lot of it hits too close to home since January 20, 2001. ("Atheism is against the law, isn't it?")

[denverbill]

8. Took me like 5 starts before I finally finished it.

The book starts out really disjointed and slow, to me. I kept getting confused and bored and would give up on it.

Finally, I just plowed on through and it all came together. It was a riot, in a dark sort of way.

[elcondor]

13. My favorite book!

Half shocking, half hilarious. A short passage, one of my favorites:

"You must make decisions," Major Danby disagreed. "A person can't live like a vegetable."

"Why not?"

"It must be nice to live like a vegetable," he conceded wistfully.

"It's lousy."

"No, it must be very pleasant to be free from all this doubt and pressure," insisted Major Danby. "I think I'd like to live like a vegetable and make no important decisions."

"What kind of vegetable, Danby?"

"A cucumber or a carrot."

"What kind of cucumber? A good one or a bad one?"

"Oh, a good one, of course."

"They'd cut you up in your prime and slice you up for a salad."

Major Danby's face fell. "A poor one, then."

"They'd let you rot and use you for fertilizer to help the good ones grow."

[ewagner]

15. In the piece about Major Major

there was this....(paraphrased of course) ...in a group of otherwise undistinguished men, he was somehow more undistinguished than the others.....

Who the hell does that remind you of...........

You are right...the book is timeless and even more disturbing now than when it was first published.