A collection of short stories and other miscellaneous writings by Joseph Heller, one of Americaâs most influential and idiosyncratic writers.
Years before the publication of Catch-22âwhich was called âa monumental artifact of contemporary literatureâ by The New York Times, âan apocalyptic masterpieceâ by the Chicago Sun-Times, and âone of the most bitterly funny works in the languageâ by The New RepublicâJoseph Heller began sharpening his skills as a writer, searching for the voice that would best express his own peculiarly wry view of the world.
In Catch As Catch Can, editors Matthew J. Bruccoli and Park Bucker have for the first time collected the short stories Heller published prior to that first novel, along with all the other short pieces of fiction and nonfiction that were published during his lifetime. Also included are five previously unpublished short stories, most reflecting the influence on Heller of urban naturalist writers such as Irwin Shaw and Nelson Algren.
The result is an important and significant addition to our understanding and appreciation of Joseph Heller, showing his evolution as a writer and artist. For those unfamiliar with his work, it will serve as an excellent introduction; for everyone else, Catch As Catch Can is a chance to explore a new aspect of Heller's remarkable career.