Joseph Heller wrote *Catch-22*. Many readers love it for its satire of war and its dark humor. His novels often explore the absurdity of war and the frustrating nature of bureaucracy.
If you enjoy books with a similar satirical edge, books that examine war and human nature with dark humor, here are some authors to consider.
Kurt Vonnegut was an American writer known for blending dark humor with thought-provoking ideas. If you enjoyed Joseph Heller’s sharp wit in “Catch-22,” you might appreciate Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five.”
The story follows Billy Pilgrim, a World War II soldier who becomes “unstuck in time.”
As Billy lives through various moments of his life, from the bombing of Dresden to his odd experiences with aliens called Tralfamadores, the book explores themes of war, fate, and human absurdity. Vonnegut’s unique style makes even the darkest subjects strangely accessible.
Thomas Pynchon is an author known for his dense and intricate narratives, though he also weaves in humor and absurdity. His book “Gravity’s Rainbow” is a sprawling story set during the final months of World War II.
The plot kicks off with the mysterious launch of V-2 rockets and follows a mix of characters trying to uncover the secret behind a peculiar device built into one of the rockets.
The story veers into strange and unexpected places, mixing espionage, paranoia, and bizarre coincidences. For readers who enjoyed the chaotic energy and dark satire in Joseph Heller’s work, Pynchon offers a similarly wild and unpredictable ride.
George Saunders is an author who writes stories that balance humor and humanity. His book “Pastoralia” is a collection of quirky and darkly funny tales, set in bizarre yet oddly familiar worlds.
One story takes place in a theme park where an employee pretends to live like a cave person while dealing with workplace pressures and personal struggles. Saunders has a knack for blending satire with touching moments, creating worlds that feel strange but relatable.
Fans of Joseph Heller might enjoy his sharp wit and absurd scenarios.
Terry Southern was a writer known for sharp, satirical stories that often unpacked the absurdities of modern life.
His novel, “The Magic Christian,” revolves around an eccentric millionaire, Guy Grand, who spends his fortune creating outlandish scenarios to mock human greed and vanity.
From staging fake events to lure people’s shallow desires to concocting outrageous schemes that test their limits, the book delivers a biting humor that feels chaotic yet meaningful.
Fans of Joseph Heller may appreciate the way Southern uses satire to hold up a mirror to society’s flaws.
William Gaddis is an American author known for his sharp wit and layered storytelling. His novel, “The Recognitions,” focuses on Wyatt Gwyon, a painter who abandons original work to forge masterpieces.
The book explores themes of authenticity and deception, with scenes that bring the world of art and religion into collision. Its dark humor and satire can appeal to fans of Joseph Heller, especially those who enjoyed the chaotic and exaggerated characters in “Catch-22.”
Donald Barthelme was a writer known for his sharp wit and unique approach to storytelling. His novel “Snow White” takes the classic fairy tale and twists it into a modern, surreal version filled with absurd humor and strange moments.
In this story, Snow White is reimagined as a young woman bored with her life and frustrated by the seven men she lives with, who spend their days making Chinese baby food.
The book is full of odd, funny, and surprising scenes that challenge traditional storytelling in a way that would appeal to fans of Joseph Heller’s dark humor and satirical style.
Hunter S. Thompson is known for his sharp, unfiltered storytelling and wild, chaotic energy.
His book, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” follows a journalist and his attorney as they head to Las Vegas for work but lose themselves in a haze of drugs, paranoia, and bizarre encounters.
The book captures the absurdity of their misadventures and paints a vivid, often outrageous picture of counterculture. The style may remind readers of the fast-paced madness found in Joseph Heller’s writing.
Philip Roth was an American author known for exploring complex characters and sharp humor. His book “Portnoy’s Complaint” revolves around Alexander Portnoy, a man who confesses all his frustrations and desires to his psychiatrist.
It’s filled with his internal struggles, especially with guilt, family, and identity, as he navigates his messy relationships and overbearing mother. The novel mixes sarcasm and honesty to capture the chaos in his life.
Fans of Joseph Heller might enjoy the biting humor and unconventional storytelling.
John Barth is an author known for his playfulness with storytelling and humor mixed with deeper themes. If you enjoyed Joseph Heller, you might be interested in Barth’s novel “The Sot-Weed Factor.”
It follows Ebenezer Cooke, a poet in colonial Maryland, who gets caught up in schemes involving pirates, spies, and chaos. The book pokes fun at historical fiction while carrying an underlying sense of absurdity, somewhat similar to Heller’s tone in “Catch-22.”
Richard Brautigan had a unique way of writing that blends humor, absurdity, and melancholy. One of his books, “Trout Fishing in America,” isn’t about fishing in the traditional sense.
Instead, it’s a quirky collection of vignettes and metaphors, where “Trout Fishing in America” becomes a symbol for different parts of life. Brautigan’s imagination runs free in this book, and his offbeat style makes even ordinary moments feel strange and whimsical.
For instance, a scene might describe a funny encounter with a stranger or a surreal story about writing a poem on the back of a trout. It’s not a story with a clear beginning, middle, or end—it’s more like wandering through someone’s mind, where every turn surprises you.
David Foster Wallace had a sharp wit and a knack for exploring the absurdities of modern life. His novel “Infinite Jest” is a sprawling story set in a near-future North America.
It weaves together a fractured family, a tennis academy, and a mysterious film so entertaining it’s dangerous. The book is packed with dark humor, sharp observations, and larger-than-life characters who are both flawed and fascinating.
Fans of Joseph Heller’s satirical style might enjoy Wallace’s way of blending humor with deeper questions about society and human nature.
Ken Kesey was an American writer known for his sharp look at authority and the human spirit. His book “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” tells the story of Randle McMurphy, a charismatic man who fakes insanity to serve his prison sentence in a mental institution.
Once inside, he clashes with the cold, controlling Nurse Ratched and rallies the other patients to fight against her oppressive rules.
Through the characters in the ward, Kesey tells a story that’s both darkly funny and deeply unsettling, showing how people respond to power and control.
If you enjoyed Joseph Heller’s exploration of authority in “Catch-22”, Kesey’s book has a similar way of spinning chaos into something unforgettable.
Saul Bellow is a writer known for creating characters who are full of contradictions, grappling with their ambitions, beliefs, and flaws.
In his novel “Herzog,” the story follows Moses Herzog, a man writing endless letters—letters he never sends—to friends, enemies, and even famous figures. He’s sorting through his failed marriage, his career, and his place in the world.
The book is full of sharp insights, humor, and moments of surprising self-discovery. It’s a story that feels both serious and funny, often at the same time.
Norman Mailer was a bold and ambitious writer who tackled big ideas about war, power, and human nature. One of his most famous books, “The Naked and the Dead,” is set during World War II and follows a platoon of soldiers on a dangerous mission in the Pacific.
Mailer gets into the minds of these men, showing their fears, frustrations, and personal battles. There’s a sense of tension as they confront the harsh realities of war and struggle with authority.
If you liked how Joseph Heller mixed grit and dark humor in “Catch-22,” you might enjoy how Mailer portrays the psychological weight of war in this novel.
Michael Chabon writes with a mix of humor and sharp insight, often weaving absurdity into everyday situations. His book “Wonder Boys” follows Grady Tripp, a struggling writer who can’t finish his sprawling novel.
Over one wild weekend, he deals with an eccentric student, a stolen jacket, and a series of chaotic events that upend his life. The story has a touch of the unexpected and a knack for finding humor in human flaws, which could appeal to fans of Joseph Heller’s style.