Catch-22.

Joseph Heller.

"Sure there's a catch," Doc Daneeka replied. "Catch-22. Anyone who wants to get out of combat duty isn't really crazy."

There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.

"That's some catch, that Catch-22," he observed.

"It's the best there is," Doc Daneeka agreed. 

I had no idea what to expect when I sat down to read a satirical novel about World War II bomber pilots. 

Here is a bit of how wikipedia describes the style of the book:

"Many events in the book are repeatedly described from differing points of view, so the reader learns more about each event from each iteration, with the new information often completing a joke, the punchline of which was told several chapters previously. The narrative's events are out of sequence, but the events are referred to as if the reader is already familiar with them, so that the reader must ultimately piece together a timeline of events."

There are so many characters in the this book. And they are introduced in rapid succession and often referred to in passing. So add that to this style of writing and you are never sure if you should know what the author is talking about. Did you read it already in another chapter but lose it somewhere in your head in the mass of story lines and characters? Or has the author not actually told you yet?

"Much of Heller's prose in Catch-22 is circular and repetitive, exemplifying in its form the structure of a Catch-22. Circular reasoning is widely used by some characters to justify their actions and opinions."

There were parts of this book that were infuriating. The bits where Yossarian is yelling and trying to reason with Aarfy when they are up in the plane, I shared his rage. I am one of those personality types that values logic and efficiency, so sometimes this book drove me crazy. It was so ridiculous at times that you couldn't take it seriously at all. 

I know this makes it sound like I disliked the book. It was so frustrating at some points. But it was one of those books where I got to the end and my opinion kind of changed. I can look back and appreciate the style of writing, even though I didn't always enjoy it while I was in the middle of it.