Born May 1, 1923, Joseph Heller flew as a bombardier on some sixty combat missions for the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. He went on to teach English at Pennsylvania State University, then worked in magazine publishing, meanwhile writing the novel Catch-22 in his free time. Set on an American overseas air base during the Second World War, the novel conveys a sense of the author's own wartime experience, more specifically his fears about dying in battle.
Italy in World War II. In the novel Yossarian and his bombardment group live on an island off Italy's coast. Although they continually attack the Italian mainland, they also visit the city of Rome during their vacation leave. Such unusual circumstances were the result of Italy's unique position during World War II, which resulted from events that occurred in the preceding decades.
After the First World War, Italy experienced social and economic distress. Industrially, it lagged behind most Westernized countries, while an expanding population drained its resources. Politically, various groups vied for control of the country. In this unstable climate, Italy's Socialist Party rose to great power.
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