Books Similar to Catch-22

[Flyboy2]

So I've been looking for some new stuff to read, recently finishing Foundations by Isaac Asimov and being done with all the Tom Clancy books I've wanted to read.

Catch-22 is my favorite book ever, and I was wondering if some of the more literary minded individuals on this form could help me find some similar books to this: You know, the absurdist, odd, satirical work... So, anybody got any suggestions

 

[diddyriddick]

Might want to check out Slaughterhouse Five by Vonnegut, though I must caution you it is strongly anti-war in its tone.

 

[Tzaw1]

Captain Pantoja and the Special Service - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
anti-army

 

[pbfoot]

Certainly not heavy as Catch 22 but the series of books The Bandy Papers ranks high on my list
Bartholomew Bandy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Butters]

'That's Me in the Middle', by Donald Jack is the first of a series of hilarious books about a WWI fighter pilot.

The 'Flashman' series by George MacDonald Fraser, is pretty funny.

Thomas Berger has written some really good stuff. Best known for 'Little Big Man'.

Alan Silletoe's 'Adventures in Nihilon' is good.

In SF, it's hard to beat the twisted humor of Robert Sheckley, esp his 'Mindswap'. Keith Laumer's 'Retief' series is also pretty funny, as are the works of Jack Vance (My favorite SF author).

Oh yeah, "A Confederacy of Dunces' is a black humor masterpiece. Can't remember the author's name, tho...

JL

EDIT: Just noticed that pbfoot has already mentioned Donald Jack's stuff

 

[pbfoot]

Bandy testing parachutes has to rate up there as one of the funniest stories I've ever read

 

[Flyboy2]

Ok thanks, I was actually looking very hard at Slaughterhouse-Five, the anti-war themes don't bother me at all

 

[RabidAlien]

If you like fantasy, Piers Anthony's "Xanth" series is frikkin hilarious, over-the-top puns page after page. My favorite is the recurring incidence where the hero will find a trophy somewhere, of the hindquarters of a cat. Its a nice looking trophy, though, so they'll pick it up, and something inevitably will go wrong. Very soon. Darn cat-ass-trophy! Puns like that. Good stuff!

 

[Butters]

Bandy testing parachutes has to rate up there as one of the funniest stories I've ever read

It's been years since I read the Bandy books, but as soon as you mentioned that episode, it all came flooding back...

Vonnegut wrote great stuff in the early part of his career. Breakfast of Champions and Welcome to the Monkey House are classics.

The mention of Xanth brought to mind Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. I can't believe that I forgot to include those...

JL

 

[muller]

If you want a laugh out loud funny WWII read, check out Spike Milligans war memoirs, they're priceless!

There's seven books. Adolf hitler - My Part in His Downfall, Rommel? Gunner Who? - A Confrontation in the Desert, Monty - My Part in His Victory, Mussolini - My Part in His Downfall, Where Have All the Bullets Gone?, Goodbye Soldier Peace Work,
the last one is about Spike's life after demob and living in post-war London.

 

[vikingBerserker]

I have to admit, I really enjoyed "Hitchhikers Guide", probably not as dark as you would like it.