People: Oct. 13, 1986

The sanest way for the U.S. Air Force Academy to acknowledge the 25th anniversary of Catch-22 would be to ask the author to come celebrate on campus. But wouldn't that be by definition insane? Never mind. When it actually wants to do something, the military just plows ahead. Which is how Joseph Heller wound up spending last weekend at the academy. Heller thought the idea not the least bit strange. "Catch-22 is no more antiwar or antimilitary than other novels," he says. "What it's critical of is dishonesty, personal corruption, ambition -- what any decent person would be critical of." Furthermore,...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!