John Irving

[Kookamoor]

Anyone else catch John Irving on The Daily Show last night? Not a very good insight into the book, but amusing none-the-less.

 

[cabrasopa]

Heh. The old, “this sucks….but maybe _you’d_ like it”.
When I do that it’s generally deemed as an insult…
j

The book was bought for this person as a present. It was not the type of book they normally read but gave it a go, couldn't get on with it, so asked if i wanted it.
Can't say I feel insulted.

 

[jay]

Can't say I feel insulted.

I think I meant more funny-like. Of course, it’s all in the delivery, “this soup taste like crap but _you_ might like it” etc.
Basically when I encounter a bad book I can’t recommend it and therefore *wouldn’t* pass it on to anyone I know. I only try to give them good books.
When it come to the crap, that’s where I use BookCrossing. Or the fireplace.

I’m not about to go looking for an Irving site but just so you know, he’s on a US book tour, so if it’s a freebie event, sometimes that’s a nice way to see/hear if a writer’s work seems interesting.
j

 

[cabrasopa]

I think I meant more funny-like. Of course, it’s all in the delivery, “this soup taste like crap but _you_ might like it” etc.
j

Fair enough, i'll make my own mind up when i get around to reading 'Irving' (in a couple of books time) and i'll let you all know what i think.

 

[Doug Johnson]

I've never read the guy.

I see you've decided to read A Prayer. I hope you post your review. It's been a while since I read it, but I really enjoyed it and thought it was the best of his that I've read.

 

[Fraggle]

I do like Irving's older stuff, Garp and Ciderhouse Rules. I'm reading Widow for One year again as it's been years since I've read it. I very rarely read book reviews, though since I've started online book shopping I do read them more now and now I've just joined here I can check out tips also I've been thinking about getting Irving's new book Until I Find You, just to see if he is still as good so may purchase it soon...

 

[Kookamoor]

I do like Irving's older stuff, Garp and Ciderhouse Rules. I'm reading Widow for One year again as it's been years since I've read it. I very rarely read book reviews, though since I've started online book shopping I do read them more now and now I've just joined here I can check out tips also I've been thinking about getting Irving's new book Until I Find You, just to see if he is still as good so may purchase it soon...

I've thought Widow for One Year was pretty recent, but I could be wrong... great book, though. The Door in the Floor was a really disappointing movie interpretation. I had no idea when I rented it that it was only the first part of the book.

As for 'Until I Find You', I haven't read it yet (but will, because I have yet to be disappointed by Irving), but I understand it's got some flaws because it's so personal (read this thread - I think there's another on the book specifically somewhere). So I'd hesitate to judge Irving on the basis of this book.

The Fourth Hand was his last one before this, I think. It's a bit different from some of his other stuff, I found. But I also thought it was really good. Check it out .

 

[Fraggle]

I've read Fourth Hand also but found it a bit, I don't know, just not as good as his others cos I find it hard to remember anything of the story,whereas with his others you can reallly think back to the characters etc...
Just got another John Irving in the post a couple of minutes ago, Prayer for Owen Meany, and judging by the posts here this is a book I'll like

 

[Stewart]

Just got another John Irving in the post a couple of minutes ago, Prayer for Owen Meany, and judging by the posts here this is a book I'll like

Well, thus far, it has been great. The first four chapters (or 200 pages) were excellent. I've stuggled to get through the next chapter but hope, at 270 pages, it will pick up again.

 

[steffee]

I've just read The Cider House Rules, after reading Owen Meany long ago and Garp earlier this year, and still prefer The World According to Garp, which, as mentioned above, takes you through every emotion possible. Cider House Rules does, too, but to a lesser extent, though maybe that's because I was all too familiar with Irving's "style" (as someone above said), or the subject matter was less interesting to me, I don't know.

Homer Wells was an amazing character, though, and from the first few chapters, surrounding his early childhood, through to him as an adult, he becomes very well understood by the reader, and I'd imagine it would be hard for anyone not to like him, or even want to take him home and protect him from further harm. And the same with Wilbur Larch, Melony, all the nurses, Candy and Wally... all the characters were brilliantly captured, which is why I think I like Irving's writing. The writing is not really anything different, or special, but he knows his characters inside out, and we do too; and he can invoke emotion in anyone, I daresay.

This book (and Garp) did something that only The Color Purple has ever done, and that's made me laugh and cry (and feel guilty for both) at the same time.

Spoiler

When Larch kisses Homer thinking he's asleep, and Homer thinks he's never had a fatherly kiss before had me sobbing for ages. All those years poor Homer loved Candy, and had to "wait and see" broke my heart a few times, and yet I didn't even hate her, even though she gave up, and lied to, her own child due to her own cowardice. And dammit, I even cried when Melony died...

Because of the overlong style (is the repetition intentional?) some of it, I admit, was boring to get through. The Opportunity Knocks plane and all that war talk didn't interest me at all, and from halfway through Chapter seven until around halfway through Chapter eight I almost gave it up. I didn't though, and I'm glad I didn't, because it got so much better (and worse - worse in the sense that it was a touchy subject), better even than it had been in the beginning.

One other thing is that Irving spoils his own stories. He writes in "-which he would later discover" or other little hints to let the reader know (or prepare for) what will happen next. I'm not sure if this is a compliment or a critism towards Irving...

Spoiler

The later character(s) of Mr. Rose and his daughter Rose Rose and his granddaughter Baby (with no name, later to become Candy) Rose were such a shock, though. I was reeling with the news of what he'd done to her, and then when she stabbed him and he took the blame, I think that was the biggest shock of the book.

 

[steffee]

Firstly, wow, I have searched high and low for an Irving thread (author thread, not Garp or Cider House Rules or a thread about whether the newest is too long or not) and it's been lurking here all along.

Stewart, do you have a review of Owen Meany? Saves me reading the last couple of hundred pages.

Actually, no, but thanks to whoever posted the SparkNotes link, because I have been desperately wanting to know if

Spoiler

The Paster turns out to be his dad, like it does in Simon Birch

throughout the past four hundred pages and am worried I might miss it.

I realise it's a year since the question was asked, but I think Simon Birch is an amazing film. It doesn't strictly adhere to the book, but still, it gives you an example of The Voice, which may or may not be a positive thing.

 

[Shade]

Steffee:

Spoiler

Yes, Lewis Merrill is Johnny Wheelwright's dad.

But you really should read to the end: it's worth it!

 

[steffee]

Thanks Shade. I knew I should have waited, but you know those spoiler tags just have such an attraction.

And apologies to anyone who clicks on my spoiler, for the spelling mistake.

 

[Dogmatix]

Oh yes do read to the end. It's worth it and so much is yet to happen in those last few pages

 

[Pearl]

I never got to finish A Prayer for Owen Meany because it had to be returned to the library. Shortly after I made my sister buy me a copy but at the time I was in the middle of a book, then started another one and forgot about it. I really should push them to my TBR pile because what I did read of it, I enjoyed.

 

[bren]

Keep going on this sweet read. The whole spoiler thing is all well and good, but the resolution is pure poetry and does sort of rely on the flow, so stick with it.

 

[Pearl]

Gracias.

I just took it off my shelf to thumb through it and I completely forgot where I left off in it! Eep. Hate it when that happens. I guess I should start it over from the beginning now.