John Irving

Last Night in Twisted River: A Novel

he's my hero!, 2010-04-11
I'm still in the last part of this book, but can't wait to finish it. If this is your 1st Irving book, it may take a while to get used to his style of storytelling and writing, so take your time. Because you haven't lived without enjoying John Irving's look at life. He has made me his lifelong supporter of àll of his books. Thank you so much, John!
Hans Horwitz, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Until I Find You

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a new fan, 2008-10-28
i was given this book to read by a colleague and was slightly intimidated by the 900 odd pages by an author i hadnt read before, however i have to say that Until i Find You was one of the most moving, gripping novels i have read. At the end of the book i was so sorry it had ended and Jack Burns has left an indelible impession upon me as well as turning me into a John Irving fan.

Last Night in Twisted River

he's my hero!, 2010-04-11
I'm still in the last part of this book, but can't wait to finish it. If this is your 1st Irving book, it may take a while to get used to his style of storytelling and writing, so take your time. Because you haven't lived without enjoying John Irving's look at life. He has made me his lifelong supporter of àll of his books. Thank you so much, John!
Hans Horwitz, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Cider House Rules - The Novel

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A book to take with you through life's journey, 2010-01-04
Comfortably Irvings best. I would recommend you read A prayer for Owen Meany and The World According to Garp first as good as they are, they will disapoint after this book. The characters are believable as are the settings with both the orphanage and the farm pictured so vividly in my minds eye. I remember looking up from the book and wondering where all the time went. Beware though......Irving is either brilliant or so bad it is painful, all Irving fans, you may have noticed, talk about the three books mentioned in this review as the rest of Irvings work is sadly instantly avoidable.

The Hotel New Hampshire (Black Swan)

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best entry book for John Irving, 2006-11-08
I think this is the best book to start with if reading John Irving, as it has his trademarks of love, sex (sometimes incestuous), comedy and loss. As it centres on a family, there are more characters to enjoy than some of his other novels which concentrate on one or two individuals. It's a bit of an epic, moving from the US to Vienna and back again. I fell in love with the family and their eccentric ways and strange associates. It won't make you cry as much as Owen Meany, but it will make you laugh more. Highly recommended.

Last Night in Twisted River

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he's my hero!, 2010-04-11
I'm still in the last part of this book, but can't wait to finish it. If this is your 1st Irving book, it may take a while to get used to his style of storytelling and writing, so take your time. Because you haven't lived without enjoying John Irving's look at life. He has made me his lifelong supporter of àll of his books. Thank you so much, John!
Hans Horwitz, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Last Night in Twisted River: A Novel

he's my hero!, 2010-04-11
I'm still in the last part of this book, but can't wait to finish it. If this is your 1st Irving book, it may take a while to get used to his style of storytelling and writing, so take your time. Because you haven't lived without enjoying John Irving's look at life. He has made me his lifelong supporter of àll of his books. Thank you so much, John!
Hans Horwitz, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

A Widow for One Year

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"Eating with a novel is not eating alone, Eddie - I'm mildly ashamed of you" she told him..., 2010-02-08
A Widow For One Year by John Irving.

Simply dedicated `For Janet, a love story' this thumping great fat book covers the lives and loves of the Cole family, their friends and lovers over a period spanning nearly four decades. Satisfying in length and depth with delightful pointers as to what is to come, it is a properly absorbing grown up read. There is some deliciously dicey subject matter that takes you to the edge and beyond of what may be considered decent.

John Irving writes his tale in three sections, Summer 1598, Fall 1990 and Fall 1995, neatly setting out his wares in 51 usefully and aptly named chapters, using a traditional rather child's book like format. Confidently moving from The Hampton's to Europe, we are safe in the hands of the most accomplished story teller. This writer treats his readers with respect, he certainly gives us our money's worth.

Exploring the role and craft of writer, novelist, illustrator; we are parachuted into the complicated, post-disaster, fractured Cole family. Two sons have died in a dreadful accident. `The grief over lost children never dies; it is a grief that relents only a little. And then only a long while.' What a wise author. He successfully pulls off the unusual and intricate device of allowing his characters to speak to each other through their own published works - fleshing out the book with `warts and all' understanding descriptions of their humanly flawed and utterly credible personalities. This family are growing their shells over a tragedy to awful to bear without armour. They each have to rewrite their family history, building their litany of detail through constant repetition, always in their own personal way. They go 'missing' from each other and each grows differently, as you can immediately understand they must do.

Eddie travels alongside this family through 37 years of loyal love, absences, growth and challenges. He is intensely believable - especially when he weakens and wavers he is wonderfully credible - you really feel you know him inside out. We meet him as a green teenager briefly escaping from his overbearing but loving parents. We leave him, in his mid fifties, in the perfectly written conclusion, experiencing a resolution that is as good as it gets.

I loved the part when we are told about Harry, a later arrival, a policeman, and his reading life; `He read novels because he found in them the best descriptions of human nature. The novelists Harry favoured never suggested that even the worst human behaviour was alterable. They might morally disapprove of this or that character, but novelists were not world changers; they were just story tellers with better-than-average stories to tell, and the good ones told stories about believable characters'. If you too are like Harry you will so enjoy this book.

The style and breadth of writing reminded me of Any Human HeartAny Human Heart by William Boyd, which grows a similar feeling of intimacy and care for the central individual. This book has more true love in it though.

Having read `A Prayer for Owen Meany'A Prayer for Owen Meany previously, I was happy to read this book on the recommendation of a friend. Now I am pleased to see that there are several more John Irving works for me to enjoy in the future.

A Prayer for Owen Meany

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Extraordinary., 2010-03-27
There are quite a few authors who can make me laugh. There are some who can make me cry. There are even some who can do both. But John Irving is the only one who can make me laugh out loud AND cry at the same time. A Prayer For Owen Meaney is my favourite book of all time. No competition. Owen is a character you won't forget, even years after you're read the book. Absolutely brilliant novel...

The World According to Garp (Black Swan)

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The World According to Garp, 2009-07-17
Wonderfully bizarre read. Absorbing, different and all I expected from the title.The World According to Garp (Black Swan)