Joseph Heller facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joseph Heller
Heller at the Miami Book Fair International (1986)
Born	(1923-05-01)May 1, 1923 Brooklyn, New York, US
Died	December 12, 1999(1999-12-12) (aged 76) East Hampton, New York, US
Resting place	Cedar Lawn Cemetery East Hampton, New York
Occupation	Writer
Alma mater	New York University (B.A.) Columbia University (M.A.)
Genre	Satire, black comedy
Notable works	Catch-22, Something Happened
Spouse	Shirley Held (1945–1984; divorced; 2 children) Valerie Humphries (1987–1999; his death)
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Joseph Heller (born May 1, 1923 – died December 12, 1999) was an American author. He wrote many books, short stories, plays, and movie scripts. His most famous work is the 1961 novel Catch-22. This book uses humor to make fun of war and confusing rules. The title "Catch-22" has even become a common phrase. It means a tricky situation with no easy way out.

Early Life and Education

Heller was born on May 1, 1923, in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York. His parents, Lena and Isaac Donald Heller, were Jewish immigrants from Russia. They were not wealthy.

Even as a child, Joseph loved to write stories. When he was a teenager, he wrote about the Winter War between Russia and Finland. He sent his story to the New York Daily News, but they did not publish it. After finishing high school in 1941, Heller worked different jobs. He was a blacksmith's helper, a messenger, and a filing clerk.

Joining the Military

In 1942, when he was 19, Heller joined the U.S. Army Air Corps. Two years later, he went to the Italian Front during World War II. He flew 60 combat missions as a bombardier in a B-25 plane.

Heller later said that the war felt "fun in the beginning." He felt like there was something exciting about it. When he came home, he "felt like a hero." People were impressed that he had flown so many missions. He even said that many of his missions were quite easy.

After the War

After the war, Heller used the G.I. Bill to go to college. He studied English at the University of Southern California and New York University. He graduated from New York University in 1948. In 1949, he earned his master's degree in English from Columbia University.

He then spent a year as a Fulbright scholar at St Catherine's College, Oxford in England. After that, he taught writing at Pennsylvania State University for two years. He also worked briefly for Time Inc. and as a writer for an advertising agency. There, he worked with future novelist Mary Higgins Clark.

Heller kept writing at home. His first short story was published in The Atlantic magazine in 1948. He was married to Shirley Held from 1945 to 1981. They had two children, Erica and Theodore.

Writing Career

The Story of Catch-22

In 1953, Heller had an idea for a story. He thought of the first lines: "It was love at first sight. The first time he saw the chaplain, [Yossarian] fell madly in love with him." The next day, he started to imagine the whole story. He created the characters, the plot, and the overall feeling of the book.

Within a week, he finished the first chapter. He sent it to his agent. He didn't write more for a year while he planned the rest of the story. The first chapter was published in 1955. It was called "Catch-18" at that time.

Heller first thought the story would be a short novel. But he found enough ideas to make it a full-length book. When he had written about a third of it, his agent sent it to publishers. Heller was not sure if he would finish it if publishers weren't interested. Luckily, Simon & Schuster bought the book. They gave him $750 and promised more when he finished it.

Heller took a long time to finish the book, about eight years. The finished novel is about an Army Air Corps Captain named John Yossarian. Yossarian tries many ways to avoid flying dangerous missions. But the military rules always find a way to make him stay. Heller said, "Everyone in my book accuses everyone else of being crazy. Frankly, I think the whole society is nuts."

The Success of Catch-22

Just before the book was published, its title was changed to Catch-22. This was to avoid confusion with another novel called Mila 18. The book came out in 1961. Some critics loved it, calling it "the best American novel in years." Others thought it was "disorganized" and "unreadable."

In its first year, it sold only 30,000 copies in the United States. But in the UK, it quickly became a bestseller. When it was released as a paperback in 1962, it became very popular. Many young people, called baby boomers, connected with the book's anti-war message. The book went on to sell 10 million copies in the United States.

The title "Catch-22" became a common phrase. It describes a difficult situation where you can't win. Today, the book is considered a classic. It is even used at the United States Air Force Academy. It helps future officers understand how confusing rules can affect people.

In 1962, the movie rights to Catch-22 were sold. This, along with his book earnings, made Heller a millionaire. The movie, directed by Mike Nichols, came out in 1970. It starred Alan Arkin, Jon Voight, and Orson Welles.

Other Notable Works

Heller's other books also use humor to look at the lives of everyday people. After Catch-22, he got an idea for his next novel, Something Happened. But he worked on plays first.

In 1967, Heller wrote a play called We Bombed in New Haven. He wrote it quickly, but spent a lot of time getting it ready for the stage. The play shared an anti-war message, talking about the Vietnam War. It was first performed at the Yale Drama School. Later, it was shown on Broadway.

Heller's novel Something Happened was finally published in 1974. Critics liked it, and it became a bestseller. Heller wrote five more novels, each taking several years to complete. One of them, Closing Time, brought back characters from Catch-22. All his novels sold well, but none were as successful as his first book. When an interviewer told him he never wrote anything as good as Catch-22, Heller famously replied, "Who has?"

How Heller Wrote His Books

Heller usually didn't start writing a story until he had imagined both the first and last sentences. The first sentence often came to him without much thought. Sometimes, he would write a few pages before deciding to try a different idea.

Usually, within an hour of getting an idea, Heller would have a basic plan for the plot and characters. When he started writing, he focused on one paragraph at a time. He would write three or four pages by hand. Then, he would spend hours rewriting and improving them.

Heller said his books were not meant to "say anything" specific. He usually didn't have a clear idea of the book's main message until he was about a third of the way through. Once he had that clear idea, he would rewrite what he had already written. Then he would continue to the end of the story. The final version of his books often did not start or end with the sentences he first imagined. However, he usually tried to put his original opening sentence somewhere in the book.

Later Years and Illness

After Catch-22 was published, Heller taught writing part-time. He was a professor at Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania. In the 1970s, he taught creative writing at the City College of New York.

Health Challenges

In December 1981, Heller was diagnosed with Guillain–Barré syndrome. This is a serious illness that made him temporarily unable to move. He spent time in the hospital and then in a rehabilitation center. His journey through this illness and his recovery are described in his book No Laughing Matter. This book has chapters written by Heller and his friend Speed Vogel. Many of his famous friends, like Mel Brooks and Dustin Hoffman, helped him during this time.

Heller made a good recovery. In 1987, he married Valerie Humphries, who had been one of his nurses.

Final Years

In 1991, Heller returned to St. Catherine's College in Oxford as a visiting scholar. In 1998, he released a memoir called Now And Then. In this book, he shared memories of his childhood. He also gave some details about what inspired Catch-22.

Joseph Heller died of a heart attack at his home in East Hampton in December 1999. This happened shortly after he finished his last novel, Portrait of an Artist, as an Old Man. When his friend Kurt Vonnegut heard about Heller's death, he said, "Oh, God, how terrible. This is a calamity for American literature."

Works

See also

In Spanish: Joseph Heller para niños