In 1961, a Jewish son of Brooklyn named Joseph Heller published his first novel, a satire set in the Mediterranean theater during the last two years of World War II. Loosely inspired by his experiences as a bombardier aboard B-25s based on Corsica, the book was a confusing and hilarious mass of contradictions, jokes, paradoxes, and repetitions. Heller captured the absurd, callous, and vicious insanity of military bureaucracy, war, and life itself. Catch-22 soon gave its name to any no-win/double-bind dilemma, and became one of the great American novels of the 20th century.

Order a pint of beer, a pot of tea, soup, sandwich, or cookies while you enjoy the old-fashioned experience of listening to a story read aloud. Browse the shelves for a book you might like to take home. No cover.

David Loftus has read to listeners in libraries, coffee shops, Powell’s Books, Borders, and Umpqua Bank, on the streets of Portland, and for recordings for the blind. He has performed Gandalf, Bilbo, and Gollum live with Willamette Radio Workshop, and Sherlock Holmes on KBOO. David voices principal characters for the science-fiction podcasts “Exoplanetary” and “253 Mathilde.”