Talk:Joseph Heller

Works / Literary Forms
I removed the bizarre category "Captain John Yossarian" and placed the works where they belong with this edit. Heller's masterwork Catch-22 needs to be under novels, not this strange category. I moved novels up to emphasize Catch-22. I moved the other items to their appropriate destinations. I strongly urge that we also get rid of "derivative plays and short stories" and place those under the correct categories. Although it is true that "Love, Dad" and "Yossarian Survives" are "two chapters cut from the original novel [Catch-22] and subsequently published as stand-alones," they are either short stories or novellas of their own right as separate published works. If we want to discuss the "Capt. John Yossarian" pattern, that can be in the main text, but it is not a literary form and is confusing to people like me who are used to reviewing the works of an author. Compare the organization here with J.D. Salinger or James Joyce, both of whom reused their characters throughout their works. James Joyce is a feature article. --David Tornheim (talk) 22:10, 3 June 2018 (UTC)


 * Subsequent to your refactoring, Catch-22 has once again been reclassified, now into a category "Series." I don't know what that means.  C22 has always and eveywhere been referred to as a novel, to my knowledge, so that is where I have replaced it.  I admit that I have not read all of Heller's titles, but those others which are styled "novels" I am moving to that category.  Possibly the dissenter has lost interest, but if you have not, please explain yourself on this page before moving any more titles.  Thank you.  Ragity (talk) 15:38, 22 December 2019 (UTC)
 * Have moved 'Closing Time' to #Novels as well. 'Catch-23' I am not familiar with, having only seen a photo.  More work needed here, methinks.  Ragity (talk) 16:11, 22 December 2019 (UTC)

It appears to me that "Catch-23" is merely a journalist's nickname for "Closing Time". I've removed it. If someone can prove it really exists under that official title, it can be replaced. TheScotch (talk) 07:50, 25 June 2022 (UTC)

Joseph Heller writing credit 'McHales Navy' source
I have run through the IMDB and the opening and closing credits for 'McHales Navy' including the one hour special presented by Fred Astaire 'Seven Against the Sea' and I cannot find credits to or even a mention of Joseph Heller for writing any where.

Where is the source of Wikis claim to associate Joseph Heller with the show? CS 02:18, 30 June 2022 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by CSjoholm (talk • contribs)
 * According to the Wikipedia article about the television series, Heller wrote the teleplay for episode four, "PT 73, Where Are You?". TheScotch (talk) 23:37, 2 July 2022 (UTC)

Further Googling shows that IMDB does, in fact, specifically attribute this episode's script to Heller. You just failed to search carefully enough. TheScotch (talk)


 * I've added this script to the "Works" section of the article. TheScotch (talk) 01:44, 4 July 2022 (UTC)

Teaching composition?
So Heller was also a composer? Please clarify.2001:8003:3020:1C00:8C1A:C1BD:886:240 (talk) 06:38, 29 July 2023 (UTC)

S.J. Perelman
Can we mention S.J. Perelman’s championing of the novel and urging Heller’s acceptance into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, despite its opposition? 2001:8003:3020:1C00:8C1A:C1BD:886:240 (talk) 06:45, 29 July 2023 (UTC)