Catch-22 - can someone convince me it's worth finishing?

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I'm about 70 pages in, and that's taken 5 days as I'm finding it more interesting to spend my time staring into space/out the window/at my feet than actually reading it. I know it's supposed to be a comedy classic of the 20th Century, but my will to finish it is rapidly vanishing. Can anyone convince me to keep going??

― Cathryn (Cathryn), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 10:24 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't see why you should. I mean, I enjoyed it enormously but I'm not sure it's something that's going to grow on you if you don't like it from the start.

And it's not as if there isn't enough fiction to read nowadays.

― selfnoise, Wednesday, 4 August 2004 11:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Agreed. If you don't love it now, you won't love it any more further in. It doesn't really change tack or anything.

― accentmonkey (accentmonkey), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 11:51 (twenty-one years ago)

That's what I thought (although it will be the first book I've never finished - I usually whinge my way through most things, no matter how bad I think they are!)

― Cathryn (Cathryn), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 12:02 (twenty-one years ago)

As I remember, it's similar to "One Hundred Years of Solitude" in that it's very repetitive, but the repetition becomes kind of the point of the book and redeems it. However, if repetition doesn't work for you (hint: do you like the Fall?), than you might as well stop reading because it doesn't undergo any sudden stylistic changes or anything.

― St. Nicholas (Nick A.), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 15:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Please don't read it. If you're not enjoying it then what's the point? However, it's the best book that I've ever read, infact I've read it thrice, but most of the people I know, get bored and leave it after the first few chapters. I have no idea how it's possible to get bored reading catch-22; but then, some people do like Britney Spears and I have no idea how that's possible either!

― Fred (Fred), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 20:19 (twenty-one years ago)

When I read something saying I've not done anything as good as Catch-22 I'm tempted to reply, 'Who has?'
-Joseph Heller

― Fred (Fred), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 20:36 (twenty-one years ago)

*shivers*

― cºzen (Cozen), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 20:40 (twenty-one years ago)

It's back on the shelf - the clincher was when I skipped 2 pages and didn't even notice until later. Part of me is sorry, as I'm sure I must be missing out on something great, another part of me is relieved. Now, where's that Jilly Cooper ...

― Cathryn (Cathryn), Thursday, 5 August 2004 08:37 (twenty-one years ago)

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