HELLER, Joseph. Catch–22. London: Jonathan Cape. 1962
8vo. Publisher’s red cloth lettered in gilt to spine, in the dust-jacket designed by Germano Facetti, priced 21s. to the front flap; pp. [2], 443, [3 (blank)]; toning to jacket spine, light rubbing to corners and spine ends with a chip (c. 4 x 3mm) to upper edge, rear panel slightly dusty, and very light spotting to top edge of textblock; a very good copy in like jacket.
First UK edition, first printing of Heller's debut novel, one of the great works of post-war American fiction.
Set during the closing months of the Second World War, Catch–22 centres upon Yossarian, a US Army Air Force bombardier increasingly exasperated by the bureaucratic logic of army command, which repeatedly raises the number of missions required to complete a tour of duty. His predicament is governed by the titular paradox whereby the willingness to fly missions is taken as proof of insanity and grounds for exemption, while attempts to avoid flying are taken as evidence of sanity, and therefore continued service.
The novel's darkly comic exposure of military bureaucracy and moral absurdity soon established Heller as a major voice, and Catch–22 as a stand-out work of postwar American fiction.
SKU: 2125366