Date of Birth: May 1, 1923
Zodiac Sign: Taurus
Date of Death: December 12, 1999
Biography
Joseph Heller was an American novelist and playwright, best known for his satirical novel “Catch-22.” Born on May 1, 1923, in Brooklyn, New York, Heller grew up in a poor Jewish family. He served as a bombardier in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, an experience that heavily influenced his writing. After the war, Heller attended college, earning a B.A. in English from New York University, an M.A. from Columbia University, and studying for a year as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Oxford. He worked as a copywriter before becoming a full-time writer. “Catch-22,” published in 1961, received mixed reviews initially but has since become a classic of American literature, noted for its unique narrative structure and biting critique of war and bureaucracy. Heller continued to write novels, plays, screenplays, and memoirs, including “Something Happened” (1974), “Good as Gold” (1979), “God Knows” (1984), “Picture This” (1988), and “Closing Time” (1994), a sequel to “Catch-22.” He passed away on December 12, 1999, but his works continue to be celebrated for their wit, insight, and profound commentary on human nature.
5 Interesting Facts about Joseph Heller
1. Joseph Heller’s novel “Catch-22” introduced the term “Catch-22” into the English language, representing a no-win situation.
2. Heller started writing “Catch-22” in 1953, and it took him eight years to complete.
3. Despite its initial mixed reviews, “Catch-22” sold over 10 million copies and was adapted into a film in 1970.
4. Heller suffered from Guillain-Barré syndrome in 1981 and documented his recovery in the memoir “No Laughing Matter.”
5. He was a professor at Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania before becoming a full-time writer.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Joseph Heller
1. “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.”
2. “Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.”
3. “He knew everything there was to know about literature, except how to enjoy it.”
4. “The enemy is anybody who’s going to get you killed, no matter which side he’s on.”
5. “Peace on earth would mean the end of civilization as we know it.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
Joseph Heller’s highest net worth achieved was estimated to be around $10 million.
Children
Joseph Heller had two children: Erica Heller, a writer and artist, and Theodore “Ted” Heller, also a novelist.
Relevant Links
2. [Joseph Heller – The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/topic/person/joseph-heller
3. [Catch-22 by Joseph Heller – Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/168668.Catch_22
5. [Joseph Heller – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0276200/
