Shameless plug for Catch-22. If you haven't read it, please do!

[Catch22Dem]

You'll thank yourself later:

"Colonel Cathcart is our commanding officer and we must obey him. Why don't you fly four more missions and see what happens?"

"I don't want to."

"Suppose we let you pick your missions and fly milk runs?" Major Major said. "That way you can fly the four missions and not run any risks."

"I don't want to fly milk runs. I don't want to be in the war anymore."

"Would you like to see our country lose?" Major Major asked.

"We won't lose. We've got more men, more money, and more material. There are ten million men in uniform who could replace me. Some people are getting killed and a lot more are making money and having fun. Let somebody else get killed."

"But suppose everybody on our side felt that way?"

"Then I'd certainly be a damned fool to feel any other way. Wouldn't I?"

[Heidi]

1. Kick. One of the best books I've ever read. (nt)

[EstimatedProphet]

2. How true is the movie to the book?

I've seen the movie, but haven't read the book.

[Heidi]

4. Read the book, EP.

The film is excellent, but there's a lot of Heller-esque nuance in the book that just can't be transferred to film. (Plus, I know you'd love the book. It's hilarious in a "WTF? This can't possibly be happening to me, and yet it is" sort of way.)

[EstimatedProphet]

7. OK. sounds like a good idea. I will.

[Catch22Dem]

9. I'm just going to piggy-back on Heidi's post

Definitely read the book, because in addition to what Heidi said about the nuances that didn't transfer to film, there are also entire scenes that didn't make it as well. I will say this, however, as far as turning a book into a movie, this is one of the best, in my opinion. They DEFINITELY give you a sense of what the book is like, which I didn't think would be possible. So, kudos to the filmmakers. Besides Arkin, Newhart, Wells, Grodin, Voight, Benjamin, Garfunkel, et al were absolutely BRILLIANT!!!

[Heidi]

11. Hey, I _do_ give piggy-back rides to people from Broken Arrow . . .

since I went to elementary and junior high in Owasso. :hi:

[Catch22Dem]

12. HAHAHA, no kidding?

My sister-in-law lives in Owasso now. :)

[I Have A Dream]

3. I started it once, and it didn't really click for me, so I stopped...

reading it. Maybe I'd better go back and give it another change. (Maybe I just wasn't in the mood at the time.)

[Catch22Dem]

10. I wasn't old enough the first time

My grandpa, a WWII pilot, tried to get me to read it, and it just never made sense. It wasn't until I was in my late twenties, with some military experience of my own, that the book finally made an impression on me.

[El Fuego]

5. It is one of my favorites and I re-read it every few years.

Interesting tidbit:

When Joseph Heller was asked why he hadn't since written anything as good as "Catch-22," he replied "Well, no one else has either."

And it's true!!!

[BikeWriter]

6. That is one of the great books!

[Blue_Tires]

8. a personal favorite of mine

[catmandu57]

13. I can ground you but there's a catch

I can ground you if you're crazy, and you must be crazy to keep flying, however, if you ask me to ground you then you're not crazy, so, I can't ground you.
Or something like that, I can't do it justice, I haven't read the book in a few years, but I did watch the movie last week.

[Catch22Dem]

14. You pretty much nailed it

Brilliant book.