Another rainy long week-end… Is it just me, or have we been having really bad luck with weather on public holidays this year? Have I asked that previously? I feel like I have…
Well, I suppose the good thing about the rain is that I’ve been able to stay indoors reading for most of the week-end and not feel bad about not going outside. I’ve kind-of-recently started reading ‘Catch 22’ (Joseph Heller) and I was planning on spending most of the week-end reading it anyway.
It is actually a really, really good read. I think it’s brilliant, and I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get around to reading it. It was actually by chance that I found it on the “recent returns” trolleys at the library (I browse these trolleys/shelves because I like to check out what other people are reading – although this is kind of flawed because people might’ve borrowed a book, read half a chapter, didn’t like it, and returned it; also because I have no idea who these people borrowing and returning books are).
For those who are unfamiliar with ‘Catch 22’, it’s set in World War II and is about this guy called Yossarian, who’s an American bombardier. I think it’s a novel that I’ve wanted to read ever since my grade 11 English teacher mentioned it once in class – it was only in passing, and I don’t remember the context, but it was enough to build some intrigue. I don’t tend to read military-themed novels or historical fiction, so I figured I’d appreciate it as a literary classic more so than I’d enjoy and become engrossed in the actual story.
But, you know, after reading less than a fifth of the novel, I already feel like this is going to become one of my favourites. This is a book that I want to read again (probably not immediately, but definitely worth re-reading at some stage). I even went to the Lifeline Bookfest the other day with the sole intent – ok, maybe not the sole intent (I was on the look out for other books, too) but it was my primary objective to find a decent copy of ‘Catch 22’. Alas, I didn’t find one! But I’m not surprised, since it’s not a book I can imagine reading and then throwing/giving away (as I said, I fully intend to re-read this).
To be honest, I’m almost happy that I didn’t find it because that means I can go and buy a new copy with a cool cover.
I can’t wait until I finish ‘Catch 22’ in its entirety so that I can write a full review of it (surely my inpatience is evident by this review-prelude-type post). Don’t expect that post any time soon, though – I’ve still got almost three-quarters of the book left, and I’m not a very fast reader (plus I somehow don’t have a lot of time for reading, despite no longer having assignments, etc).
Edit: According to WordPress, this is my 300th post! Hence, I’ve filed this in the “milestone” category as well as “books” (although ‘Catch 22’ is pretty incredible and could possibly become life-changing, it is, admittedly, not the reason why this post is getting the “milestone” tag – well, not the main reason, anyway).
pistachio conspiracy #63 