Franklin Library: SIGNED 60 JOSEPH HELLER: CATCH 22: WORLD WAR 2: EUROPE

Description: Franklin Library leather edition of Joseph Heller's "Catch 22," a Limited edition, Illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker, Personally Signed by JOSEPH HELLER, one of the SIGNED 60 series, published in 1978. Bound in navy blue leather, the book has matching French moire silk end leaves, satin book marker, acid-free paper, Symth-sewn binding, hubbed spine, gold gilding on three edges---in near FINE condition. Joseph Heller, who lived from 1923 – 1999, was an American satirical novelist, short story writer, and playwright who was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of poor Jewish parents from Russia. In 1942, he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps. Two years later he was sent to the Italian Front, where he flew 60 combat missions as a bombardier. After WW II, Heller completed his MA and taught English at Penn State for a couple of years. Heller describes several of his fellow soldiers and the events that later became part of "Catch 22," a satirical war novel. Often cited as one of the most significant novels of the twentieth century, the novel uses a distinctive non-chronological third-person omniscient narration, describing events from the points of view of different characters: Clevinger, Corporal Whitcomb, Doc Daneeka, Havermeyer, The Texan, Major Major, Lieutenant Scheisskopf, Luciana, The Chaplain, Kid Sister, Dobbs, Aarfy, Milo the Mayor, General Dreedle, Dunbar, Nurse Duckett, Piltchard & Wren, Bologna, Colonel Cathcart, Captain Black, Chief White Halfoat, Major Major Major Major---who had a difficult time from the start: "Like Miniver Cheevy, he had been born too late---exactly thirty-six hours too late for the physical well-being of his mother. Major Major's father was a sober God-fearing man whose idea of a good joke was to lie about his age. . ." Other characters include: Nately's Old Man, Nately's Whore, and Yossarian. The novel is set during WORLD WAR II, from 1942 to 1944 and follows the life of antihero Captain John Yossarian, a U.S. Army Air Forces B-25 bombardier. Most of the events in the book occur while the fictional 256th US Army Air Squadron is based on the island of Pianosa, in the Mediterranean Sea west of Italy, though it also covers episodes from basic training in Colorado and in California. The novel examines the absurdity of war and military life through the experiences of Yossarian and his cohorts, who attempt to maintain their sanity while fulfilling their service requirements so that they may return home. Early in the novel, the reader was cushioned from experiencing the full horror of events, but in the final section, the events were laid bare. The horror begins with the attack on the undefended Italian mountain village, with the following chapters involving despair of Doc Daneeka and the Chaplain, disappearance in combat of Orr and Clevinger, and the death of most of Yossarian's friends: Nately, McWatt, Kid Sampson, Dobbs, Chief White Halfoat and Hungry Joe. The reader witnesses the rape and murder of the innocent young woman, Michaela. In Chapter 41 the full details of the death of Snowden were finally revealed. Nevertheless, the novel ends on an upbeat note with Yossarian learning of Orr's miraculous escape to Sweden and Yossarian's pledge to follow him there. Many events in the book are repeatedly described from differing points of view, so the reader learns more about each event from each iteration, with the new information often completing a joke. Specific words, phrases, and questions are also repeated frequently, generally to comic effect. For example: "The Texan turned out to be good-natured, generous and likable. In three days no one could stand him"; and "The case against Clevinger was open and shut. The only thing missing was something to charge him with." This style is also recognizable regarding how exactly Clevinger's trial would be executed by Lieutenant Scheisskopf: "As a member of the Action Board, Lieutenant Scheisskopf was one of the judges who would weigh the merits of the case against Clevenger as presented by the prosecutor. Lieutenant Scheisskopf was also the prosecutor. Clevinger had an officer defending him. The officer defending him was Lieutenant Scheisskopf." There are no traditional heroes in the novel, reflecting the underlying commentary that war has no heroes, only victims. The reason Yossarian fears his commanders more than the enemy is that as he flies more missions, Colonel Cathcart increases the number of required combat missions before a soldier may return home; he reaches the magic number only to have it retroactively raised---hence the "catch 22." The novel end with: "Yossarian jumped. Nately's whore was hiding just outside the door. The knife came down, missing him by inches, and he took off." 551 pages. I offer Combined shipping.

Price: 199.95 USD

Location: Walnut Ridge, Arkansas

End Time: 2024-11-21T19:07:32.000Z

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