Catch-22
Joseph Heller
46 people recommended it in 27 threads, 2007–2024.
2 commenters pushed back on it — worth reading the threads.
What people on Hacker News said
It's funny, very dark and even though most people think they know all about it without reading it because they understand the term "catch 22", they are missing out on a very good story that will leave you in want of discussing it with someone else.
Catch-22. In a similar vibe (but a fair bit shorter), Slaughterhouse 5. Both cover the hell of war by examining its absurdity. Catch-22 is also the funniest book you'll ever read.
Catch 22 has reaffirmed in me Yossarian's mindset that I didn't know I had; about how the world is mad and is out to get me over its crazy shit; and about how the received official mythologized narrative is different from the day-to-day survival concerns of an ordinary person.
I'm prone to bursting into laughter with that book, and my kids quickly found it very funny as well. They could almost immediately divine the next contradiction in the narrative.
Catch-22, Joseph Heller (pair with The Deserters, Charles Glass -- In fact a lot of the stuff in Catch-22 is actually toned down from reality)
For a laugh, Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, or Hitchhiker's Guide.
Where it comes up
- Ask HN: What's the "best" book you've ever read? 2024 · 6 recommendations
- Ask HN: What is the best fiction book you've ever read? 2013 · 4 recommendations
- Ask HN: Which books have you read more than once? 2020 · 3 recommendations
- Ask HN: Which non-technology book has influenced you the most and why? 2017 · 3 recommendations
- Ask HN: Books that changed your life? 2010 · 3 recommendations
- Ask HN: What book changed your life? 2022 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: What is your favorite fiction book? 2022 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: Books you plan to read in 2020? 2019 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything? 2019 · 2 recommendations
- Ask HN: What are your favorite books of all time, and why? 2017 · 2 recommendations
- Show HN: Personalized book recommendations with Librarian AI 2023 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: What book have you re-read 3x or more? 2022 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: What's the best book you read in 2021? 2021 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Great fiction books that have had a positive impact on your life? 2020 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Recommend one book I need to read this summer? 2019 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Favorite fiction books of 2018? 2018 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: What was the best book you read in 2016? 2017 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Books you read in 2016? 2016 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift? 2016 · 1 recommendation
- Ask HN: Book Recommendations? 2016 · 1 recommendation