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John Irving

nick452

nick452

New Member
I have read two john irving books thus far my first was the world according to garp which i absolutely loved and the second was the cider house rules.I think he's an excellent writer and was wondering if you guys could recommend some more books by him.I just can't get enough.Also which book is your favourite.
 
A fellow Irving fan :D I have read a fair few of his books and would rank them in the following order (best first):

World According to Garp
Prayer for Owen Meany
Cider House Rules
Hotel New Hampshire
Widow for One Year
Son of a Circus
The Fourth Hand
The Water Method Man

So, in short, you should read A Prayer for Owen Meany next!
 
Wow! Thanks for bringing this topic up, nick, and a special thanks for the list Lyra!!

I read Garp years ago and really enjoyed it, but never go to any of Irving's other work. So the next time I take a break from Fantasy, I will most certainly pick up Prayer for Owen Meany. :)
 
I have to say that A prayer for Owen Meany is Irvings best book.Garp made me laugh out loud but Owen meany was absolutely a compelling and heartbreaking character.Hotel New hampshire was great too.
Irvings books are strange for me in that I either love them or they leve me cold.A widow for one year and son of the circus for example did nothing for me.
 
I read The World According to Garp first (last September if I remember correctly) and then A Prayer for Owen Meany a few months ago. They are both good but Owen Meany is the better of the two.

I have several more Irving books sitting on my shelf, and this morning finished 'My Imaginary Girlfriend' his autobiography. Reading this makes you realise how much he takes from his own life and includes in his stories. I would suggest, however, reading this after reading Owen Meany.

I noticed a film called 'Simon Birch' was on last Sunday and, although it didn't seem to mention it, this was the film of A Prayer for Owen Meany with all of the characters names changed. I watched for about 4 minutes before switching off.

Mxx
 
For what I've read by Irving

A prayer for Owen Meany
Wodow for a year
Son of the circus

in order of yeah !

msm
 
Yes, you will indeed. Just make sure you do read it before seeing it. Owen is a character that is purely for the imagination and any attempt to recreate on the screen is a) deemed to failure, and b) likely to influence your own creation of him. Definitely one to read and not watch.

Mxx
 
I read a Widow for one Year and I wasn't hugely struck on it, so I'm happy to see that other folks rate that one lower down. Consequently, I think I'll have to try another of his books - just to see if it's any better for me.
 
murphyz said:
Yes, you will indeed. Just make sure you do read it before seeing it. Owen is a character that is purely for the imagination and any attempt to recreate on the screen is a) deemed to failure, and b) likely to influence your own creation of him. Definitely one to read and not watch.
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I'm afraid I've already seen Simon Birch.

The same goes for The Hotel New Hampshire; but I did read Garp before watching the movie, so I might earn me some brownie points after all?

Nah, I didn't think so. ;)
 
Lyra said:
you are very welcome :D don't forget to post your thoughts after you have finished it!
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Have i thanked you for suggesting a prayer for owen meany lyra because whao! I read it during my vac and it was incredible. It is definitely one of those books that stay with you your whole life.I've also just started reading a short story compellation of john irving's called saving piggy sneed.I have decided that irving is definitely one of my favorite writers.
 
I am currently in the middle of reading Owen Meany and I love it. I wouldn't want to see any movie adaptations of this book, because they would never be able to create that VOICE like my imagination has. I plan to pick up Garp as soon as I'm through with this one.
 
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