Spine Crackers discussion

At the heart of Joseph Heller's bestselling novel, first published in 1961, is a satirical indicement of military madness and stupidity, and the desire of the ordinary man to survive it. It is a tale of the dangerously sane Captain Yossarian, who spends his time in Italy plotting to survive.

I just got my copy from the Library. I'm rather surprised that I've never read it before, but I'm excited to give it a go now.

Hey guys! I was wondering what everyone thought of the book so far? Also, along with that, I was wondering what everyone thought about how the mood of the book goes between a comedy and a tragedy about war?

Very good observation, Caitlin. Comedy versus tragedy: different sides of the same coin, right? Both are defined by irony. And the concept of the catch 22 is utterly ironic. I think Heller's pointing out that what makes war so funny is how tragic it is, and of course, the only way to survive tragedy is to laugh at it. Its such an absurd enterprise, and to search for meaning in war is pointless-- and yet we do, that's the comedy. The idea that we think we can make sense of, justify, find good reason for war, is hilarious. Consider the silliness of Major Major Major Major Major. Consider the silliness of a beach goer's decapitation from an airplane. one makes you laugh, the other horrifies you. Both are the result of war.

I got two chapters into this and couldn't stand it. There were at least two separate occasions in the chapters I read where it was repetitive for like five sentences in a row. I don't know if the author intended it to be funny but honestly it wasn't. Probably never going to finish reading it. Thank goodness I didn't buy it.

I have to agree with Kelly - maybe it's because I read it long after it was written, in a different time or under different circumstances, but I couldn't get through it. If there was humour, I wasn't necessarily getting it, and I couldn't stand the nearly stream-of-consciousness writing style. What was I missing? What makes this book so well-reviewed?

I think the since of humor in this book is pretty morbid and you have to think about it in that way. It starts off pretty early, on the second page for my version, when Yossarian writes everyone he knows that he's going on a very dangerous mission and he'll write everyone when he gets back. "And he never wrote anyone since."
I find that funny, but it's an asshole move to be sure.

And the beginning of the book is wild, and kind of hard to follow (steam-of-consciousness writing, and introducing characters 3 chapters after we meet them), but as the book continues things start to become clearer. We see the horror of war with out a joke. And everything that was confusing about the beginning begins to get a clear path.
The beginning is manic. But it doesn't stay that way.

Good to know that it becomes clearer. I have really liked the book so far (I'm 100 pages in), but it's slow to read, because I am not used to non-linear structures in books. I was worried that I might not have time to finish it, if it continues the same way. I think I'll manage, when the plot gets on it's course.

I have found the book really funny. I have laughed out loud several times. Clevinger's hearing was a scene that especially comes to my mind.

I'm not far enough into the book to really form a solid opinion, but I'm definitely finding it hard to read. The writing just seems so erratic, and I find myself getting annoyed at times because I want more structure. I know that the writing was intended to be that way, but I'm not the biggest fan of stream of consciousness writing. However, I have found it funny at parts, and I find the dark humor interesting, so I at least want to give it a real shot. I'm going to trust Caitlin that it becomes clearer and muddle through til then.