Twentieth Book Wrap Up & New Book

This month we took a step back in time, as Jerlin mentioned, to our high school days, and read (or re-read for some) “Catch-22” by Joseph Heller.  I personally was looking forward to reading what is commonly thought of as a high-school classic, but with more mature eyes and a better appreciation for the author’s take on what war is really like.  There’s no denying that the premise of this book painted an accurate picture of war, but for most of us, it didn’t go beyond that.  As Stephanie put it, it is realistic, but that doesn’t make it a good book.  Heller gave detailed descriptions of all of the characters, but when it came to the plot, there wasn’t one. 

One thing we all did appreciate was that there were a lot of great quotes, which really fueled our discussion.  Here are several that we highlighted:

• “Colonel Cathcart had courage and never hesitated to volunteer his men for any target available.” – pg. 55
• “Dunbar was lying motionless on his back again with his eyes staring up at the ceiling like a doll’s. He was working hard at increasing his life span. He did it by cultivating boredom.” – pg. 9
• “Yossarian was in love with the maid in the lime-colored panties because she seemed to be the only woman left he could make love to without falling in love with.” – pg. 133
• “Because he needed a friend so desperately, he never found one.” – pg. 85
• “Yossarian had done his best to warn him the night before. ‘You haven’t got a chance, kid,’ he told him glumly. ‘They hate Jews.’  ‘But I’m not Jewish,’ answered Clevinger.  ‘It will make no difference,’ Yossarian promised, and Yossarian was right.  ‘They’re after everybody.’” – pg. 81
• “…it was neither possible nor necessary to educate people who never questioned anything.” – pg. 35
• “It shouldn’t have survived…” pg. 461, afterward by Jonathan R. Eller.

For our next book, we’re going to see what all the frenzy is about and read E. L. James’s “Fifty Shades of Grey”.  Amazon’s description says: “When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.
 
Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.”