# Spoil Joseph Heller's "Closing Time" for me.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoil-joseph-hellers-closing-time-for-me/403229>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 8, 2007, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoil-joseph-hellers-closing-time-for-me/403229 "2007-05-08T13:26:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoil-joseph-hellers-closing-time-for-me/403229/1 "2007-05-08T13:26:30Z")

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I recently read **Catch 22** and found it somewhat underwhelming after having heard all my life what a brilliant, biting satire it was. While the concept of Catch 22 itself was brilliant, I found the novel a rather tedious read. Now I see that Heller penned a sequel. I just don’t have it in me to read it; yet I am somewhat curious as to Yossarian’s ultimate fate. Anybody read it?

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**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoil-joseph-hellers-closing-time-for-me/403229/2 "2007-05-08T13:40:14Z")

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I absolutely adore Catch 22, but did find Closing Time underwhelming, so it might be doubly underwhelming for you. Unfortunately this means I can’t actually remember what happens in it, at least not at the end. So I’m also hoping someone can remind me…

(Having read other Heller books I have come to the conclusion that his maddening repetitious style is perfectly suited to Catch 22; but to his other books? Not so greatly.)

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**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spoil-joseph-hellers-closing-time-for-me/403229/3 "2007-05-08T13:58:32Z")

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I found Closing Time overwhelmingly weird and incoherent. Like **Staggerlee** I don’t remember what happens, although I vaguely remember an underground amusement park run by a dead man or something.

I do remember that it takes place 40 or 50 years after Catch 22.