. . . so we’re celebrating with a contest!
October 11 marked the 50th anniversary of Joseph Heller’s magnum opus, Catch-22. Though originally not well-received, it turned the genre of the war novel on its head with its black comedy and anti-heroism. Very few books are able to resonate so powerfully for 50 years, but the story of Yossarian has remained relevant for soldiers and students alike.
In Just One Catch, the definitive Heller biography, Tracy Daugherty reconstructs the author’s life, and as our reviewer wrote, it “illuminate[s] the post-World War II culture of American fiction—from the emergence of Jewish sensibilities as a key narrative element to the influence of mass advertising and television to the corporatization of book publishing.”
In honor of the 50th anniversary, we’re giving away a Catch-22 prize pack:
Here’s how you can win . . .
TO ENTER: Leave a comment on this post telling us which fictional character or work of American literature has most influenced you.
CONTEST DETAILS: One winner will be chosen by random.org from among entries received by 6 pm CST on October 26. The winner will receive copies of Just One Catch and the 50th anniversary edition of Catch-22. This prize must be shipped to a North American address.
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ETA: Congratulations to our winner, Jonathan! The fictional character he finds most inspiring is Jay Gatsby.
Thank you to all who entered! Contest is now closed.
Jay Gatsby “The Great Gatsby”
Catcher in the Rye.
little women!!
Huckleberry Finn
Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh
Atticus Finch portrays the person we all “wish” we were….
Antonia Shimerda of My Antonia – really all of Willa Cather’s writing
East of Eden – Steinbeck is flawless in that one.
A new heroine – Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games
A book always leaves a little bit of itself with me, but my motto right now is Scarlett O’Hara’s. “Tomorrow is another day.”
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
I’m constantly being inspired by fictional characters so I will go with the first two that inspired me.
Lucy and Susan from The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe
I loved how strong Susan was and how brave Lucy was.
Please count me in on the contest
John Steinbeck …..Grapes of Wrath
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Hermione from Harry Potter.
Elizabeth Bennet – Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
Anne from Anne of Green Gables. She embraced life 100% even if that meant making mistakes. She always spoke her mind.
Valentine Michael Smith of Robert Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land
Seriously and not to suck up, but: Catch-22, hands down.