Reading lists and articles featuring Joseph Heller

Joseph Heller Biography

Early Life

Joseph Heller, born on May 1, 1923, in Coney Island, Brooklyn, emerged as a prominent American author renowned for novels, short stories, plays, and screenplays. His parents, Lena and Isaac Donald Heller, struggled financially as poor Jewish immigrants from Russia. Heller’s passion for writing manifested early, submitting a rejected story about the Soviet invasion of Finland to the New York Daily News during his teenage years. Post-graduation from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1941, Heller navigated through diverse jobs, including a blacksmith’s apprentice and a filing clerk.

• Joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1942 at age 19, serving on the Italian Front as a B-25 bombardier.
• Returned home after 60 combat missions and enrolled at the University of Southern California, followed by New York University and Columbia University, graduating in 1948.
• Studied on the G.I. Bill, became a Fulbright scholar at St Catherine’s College, Oxford, and taught at Pennsylvania State University.

Career

Joseph Heller’s literary career gained prominence with his groundbreaking novel, Catch-22, a satire on war and bureaucracy.

• Catch-22, conceived in 1953 and published in 1961, earned Heller critical acclaim for its anti-war sentiments and depiction of an absurd, bureaucratic system.
• The novel’s title became synonymous with a dilemma, and its success skyrocketed, selling 10 million copies and achieving classic status.
• Published other modern satire works, including Something Happened (1974), Good as Gold (1979), and Closing Time (1994).

Later Career and Teaching

Following Catch-22’s success, Heller delved into teaching creative writing at Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania.

• Published multiple novels, each reflecting modern satire and the struggles of the middle class.
• Despite respectable sales, none matched the overwhelming success of Catch-22.
• Joined the City College of New York in the 1970s as a distinguished professor, imparting his creative wisdom to students.

Illness and Recovery

In 1981, Heller faced a debilitating diagnosis of Guillain–Barré syndrome, experiencing temporary paralysis.

• Admitted to Mount Sinai Medical Hospital and later the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine for recovery.
• Documented his illness and support from friends in the autobiographical No Laughing Matter.
• Made a substantial recovery and, in 1987, married Valerie Humphries, a former nurse.

Later Years and Legacy

Joseph Heller’s later years included a term as a visiting Fellow at St. Catherine’s in 1991 and the release of a memoir, Now and Then: From Coney Island to Here, in 1998.

• Remained an agnostic throughout his life.
• Passed away from a heart attack at his East Hampton home in December 1999, shortly after completing his final novel, Portrait of an Artist, as an Old Man.
• Left an indelible mark on American literature, with works like Catch-22 continuing to influence generations.

Notable Works

• Catch-22 (1961)
• Something Happened (1974)
• Good as Gold (1979)
• Closing Time (1994)