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Hlava XXII
Author: Joseph Heller
17,96 €
Hlava XXII exposes the military machine through rules whose logic defeats an individual's efforts to stay alive. Yossarian's struggle for survival combines absurd comedy with antiwar criticism and the novel's nonlinear structure.
Hlava XXII is Joseph Heller's satirical antiwar novel set during World War II. Its central character, American bombardier John Yossarian, struggles to survive further combat missions while military bureaucracy creates rules with seemingly no logical escape. This paradox gave the book its title, and catch-22 later became a term for a situation in which contradictory conditions prevent a solution. The novel combines absurd humor, satire, nonlinear storytelling, and criticism of the military machine.
Book information
- Author
- Joseph Heller
- Publisher
- Albatros Media a.s.
- Imprint
- Plus
- Formát
- Audiobook
- Language
- Czech
- Genre
- satirický román, protivojnový román, klasická literatúra
- Original title
- Catch-22
- ISBN
- 978-80-259-0527-2
- Publication date
- 16. April 2018
- Duration
- 23 h 57 min
- Chapters
- 43
What is Hlava XXII about?
John Yossarian serves as an American air force bombardier during World War II, with survival as his overriding goal. The enemy is not his only problem: his own military organization follows rules, decisions, and hierarchies often governed by absurd logic. The best-known example is Catch-22 itself. A soldier may be removed from combat flights for insanity, but requesting removal out of fear for his life demonstrates rational thought and disqualifies him. Heller tells the story through many characters and episodes, not always chronologically. The same moments may return from different viewpoints, gradually gaining new meaning. Absurd humor sits beside serious criticism of war, power, careerism, and a bureaucratic system that reduces individuals to parts of an organization.
Themes and motifs
The absurdity of war
The novel portrays a wartime environment where violence combines with illogical rules and administrative decisions.
Bureaucracy
Military regulations and hierarchy set individual logic against the logic of the system.
Survival
Yossarian's effort to stay alive counters the military organization's demands.
Power and careerism
Several characters use the military structure to advance their ambitions and interests.
Paradox
Catch-22 describes a predicament in which mutually dependent rules prevent a solution.
Setting
World War II, primarily among members of an American bomber unit operating in the Mediterranean.
Main characters
John Yossarian
An American bombardier trying to survive the war and escape further combat missions.
Doc Daneeka
The military doctor associated with explaining the Catch-22 paradox.
Milo Minderbinder
An enterprising soldier through whom the novel satirizes trade, opportunism, and economic interests.
Who is this book for?
For listeners of classic world literature, dark and absurd humor, antiwar fiction, and satire about bureaucracy, power, and institutional irrationality.
Book context
Catch-22 was published in 1961 and became Joseph Heller's best-known novel. Its title entered English as a term for a paradoxical situation with no practical way out. The novel has been adapted for film and television.
Adaptations
Catch-22
Catch-22
Otázky o knihe
What is Hlava XXII about?
The novel follows American bombardier John Yossarian as he tries to survive further missions during World War II while confronting absurd military bureaucracy.
Who wrote Hlava XXII?
The author is American writer Joseph Heller.
What is Hlava XXII's original title?
The original English title is Catch-22.
What does catch-22 mean?
A paradoxical situation in which the conditions needed to solve a problem also prevent its solution. The expression spread through Heller's novel.
How long is the Hlava XXII audiobook?
It runs for 23 hours and 57 minutes.
Who narrates Hlava XXII?
External catalog sources for this digital edition list Vladimír Hauser; the SOURCE_FACT record, however, does not include a narrator field.
Has Hlava XXII been adapted for the screen?
Yes. Mike Nichols directed the film Catch-22 in 1970, and a television miniseries was released in 2019.
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