Landmark: Catch-22

Available for over a year

Joseph Heller's satirical novel, 'Catch-22', was published 50 years ago in 1961. Philip Dodd presents a special Landmark edition of Night Waves to mark this cornerstone of American fiction with guests Patrick Hennessey, Sarah Churchwell, Michael Goldfarb and Heller's daughter Erica. The book has appeared on the best novels of the twentieth century. Set in Italy in 1943 it tells the story of Yossarian, a U.S. Army bombadier. Yossarian finds himself the victim of Catch-22, a military rule which prevents anyone from avoiding combat missions. A pilot is considered insane if he continues to fly the dangerous combat missions. Yet, if he asks to be relieved from duty, he is considered sane and so must continue to fly.